John Lewis Partnership makes senior management changes

John Lewis operations director Rocos, who has been with the partnership for 43 years, will step down from his role in May.

The department store chain’s finance director Bérangère Michel will succeed Rocos as operations director at the end of January, assuming responsibility for its supply chain and the John Lewis & Partners store estate.

John Lewis has kicked off a search for a new finance director. Current head of finance Andy Mounsey has taken on the role in an interim basis. 

John Lewis managing director Paula Nickolds said: “I can’t overemphasise the scale of the contribution Dino has made to John Lewis – he has transformed every element of our supply chain to create the distribution network we enjoy today. I am extremely grateful to him for his support and commitment to the partnership. Bérangère and Andy both bring a wealth of experience to their new roles and I wish them the very best of luck.”

Sister retailer Waitrose & Partners has named its transformation director Ross Avery as its new finance boss.

Avery, who has worked for the John Lewis since 2001, will take on the role from January 28. He will also be given a seat on the Waitrose management board.

Avery joined the partnership as a graduate trainee, working in stores for the first seven years of his career.

He progressed to a number of retail leadership roles and became head of strategy in 2013.

Following three years as ecommerce director, Avery was promoted to his current role as transformation director in March last year.

Avery will report jointly to Waitrose boss Rob Collins and John Lewis Partnership finance director Patrick Lewis in his new role.

Collins said: “Ross is a talented, high-calibre leader with the wide experience and deep understanding of our business that will make him a terrific FD.”