Marks & Spencer has appointed former Waitrose executive Alan Hoe as its new head of customer experience and operations, bringing more than two decades of grocery retail experience to the business.

Hoe joins the retailer after spending 21 years at Waitrose, where he held several positions, including retail proposition lead for front end and services.

Most recently, he worked as a consultant at customer experience consultancy CLX, advising on customer experience.

His appointment comes as M&S continues to invest in improving its stores, customer experience and operational efficiency as part of its wider transformation strategy.

The retailer recently reported a strong performance across its food business, with sales rising 13.9 per cent to £5.16bn in the 26 weeks to 26 September.

Like-for-like food sales increased 11.7 per cent, while adjusted operating profit climbed to £288.6m as the supermarket continued to attract shoppers through investment in value, quality and innovation.

M&S has also been accelerating investment in its store estate, completing 18 new, extended or renewed stores during the first half as it looks to improve the shopping experience and drive further growth.

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