Marks & Spencer reshuffles management responsibilities

Wade-Gery will add responsibility for UK retail to her duties and retail director Sacha Berendji will report to her.

The change in responsibilities makes M&S one of a small number of retailers where stores - while still generating the most sales - explicity become simply one of several channels, and therefore the retail boss reports to a multichannel director. Traditionally the supremacy of the store has meant that retail directors would report directly to the chief executive.

The changes to Wade-Gery’s role are among several at the retailer.

Marketing and business development director Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne will now assume executive responsibility for M&S’s international business.

International director Jan Heere will leave – he is returning to Russia, where he previous worked – and business development director Costas Antimissaris will become international director.

And Hugo Adams, at present chief executive Marc Bolland’s executive assistant, is to become property director. He will report into finance boss Alan Stewart.

Food boss Steve Rowe and general merchandise supremo John Dixon will also now have full operating profit responsibility for their operations, as will Wade-Gery and Bousquet-Chavanne.

M&S said that there has also been an “internal realignment of responsibilities to drive more accountability and responsibility across the organisation”.

The retailer explained: “Increased spans of control, streamlined processes, and a more collaborative way of working will combine to promote swifter decision making and a speedier response to customers’ needs.”

Bolland said: “Over the last three years, we have worked hard to transform M&S into an international, multichannel retailer that is fit for the future of retail.

“We now have the right infrastructure in place to take our business forward and, as we enter the next phase of our plan, we need to make sure our team structures and internal processes allow us to move with pace, simplicity and speed.”