In what it describes as a planned move, Katie Bickerstaffe will retire from M&S after its AGM in July 2024 to pursue her board career.
Katie served as a non-executive director and co-COO of M&S prior to being appointed co-CEO, reporting to CEO Stuart Machin, in March 2022.
Having helped see through that leadership change, the strengthening of the management team and "a marked improvement in the performance of the business", she will move on to take other board roles in line with the original transition plan, the retailer reports.
“I’m very grateful to Katie for her support in seeing M&S through this important period in the reshaping of the business. We now have a much stronger business, and she will move on with our very best wishes,” comments Stuart Machin.
Katie comments: “I took on the co-CEO role to support Stuart as he succeeded to CEO and because of my love for the brand and my determination to see the transformation of M&S through to the next stage. We have built a strong team, made great progress, and it is now right that the business and function heads report directly to Stuart. I will leave with great memories and a strong sense of achievement.”
