5 Feb 2020 13:22
MARKS AND SPENCER GROUP PLC ANNOUNCES
CHIEF STRATEGY AND TRANSFORMATION DIRECTOR
Katie Bickerstaffe, currently a Non-Executive Director of Marks and Spencer Group PLC, will be joining the executive team as Chief Strategy and Transformation Director.
Steve Rowe, CEO, commented, "Katie has been a great help to me and the wider management team in her role as a non-executive director and I am delighted that she will now be part of the executive team. Her experience in leading roles at UK food and non-food retailers and track record of delivering large-scale change will be invaluable as we accelerate our transformation."
Katie Bickerstaffe commented, "Marks & Spencer is a fantastic brand with huge potential. I'm really looking forward to working with the management team to step-up the pace of the transformation."
Katie will take up her role on 27th April. She will serve on the Board and Operating Committee as an Executive Director and will be working four days a week.
This announcement has been made in accordance with the requirements of 9.6.11(3) of the UK Listing Rules.
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For more information, please call:
M&S External Communications 0208 718 1919
Notes to editors:
·; Katie was previously Executive Chair of SSE Energy Services, one of the largest household energy and services providers in Great Britain. Until April 2018, Katie was Chief Executive, UK and Ireland of Dixons Carphone plc. She joined Dixons in 2008 and was appointed to its Board in 2012. Prior to this she worked with many well-known food retail and consumer companies including Kwik Save, PepsiCo, Unilever, Dyson and Somerfield where she was Retail MD. Katie is currently a Non-Executive Director of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
·; During her time at Dixons she led the transformation of Dixons' retail estate, e comm and the launch of the 'knowhow' services business. At SSE she has led the separation of SSE Energy Services from SSE plc and its subsequent sale to OVO.
·; Katie's role is accountable for developing and overseeing the delivery of the business's strategic transformation programmes. She will lead the Strategy team, M&S Bank and Energy teams and IT.
·; Melanie Smith, the previous Strategy Director, is now CEO of Ocado Retail.