Marks and Spencer has announced that the managing director of M&S Food, Stuart Machin, will become CEO from 25 May.
The change comes part of the retailer’s planned succession programme, which will see Steve Rowe stepping down as CEO at the company’s preliminary results.
Machin’s duties will include overseeing day-to-day business and the executive committee. He will also continue his current responsibilities of food leadership, operations, property, store development and technology.
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From May, he will take on responsibility for HR and corporate communications and sit on the board.
Prior to joining M&S Food in 2018, Machin held senior operational roles at Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda and worked in Australia as the CEO of Target. On top of this, Machin is also a director of Ocado Retail.
Katie Bickerstaffe will become co-chief executive, with a focus on driving the global omnichannel, digital and data future for the business.
Bickerstaffe will also carry her previous responsibilities of clothing and home, MS2, international and financial services and will re-join the board from 25 May.
M&S also announced that Eoin Tonge will assume the role of chief strategy and finance officer, leading the future development of the business and remaining on the PLC board.
The shift in management comes part of M&S’ second phase of its transformation programme, “Shaping The Future”.
“The appointments we are making today bring together a very strong leadership team to take the business into the next stage of its transformation,” said chairman Archie Norman.
“Both Stuart and Katie are outstanding high impact leaders with very strong track records and experience of leading businesses through transformative change.”
Norman added: “With Eoin, they make a very powerful leadership team able to span the full breadth of our businesses.”
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