Marks & Spencer strategy director to head Ocado Retail

Her appointment follows completion of the creation of Ocado Retail, a joint venture between the pureplay grocer and M&S, which will sell food online for the first time when the business goes live.

Smith joined M&S in 2017 from investment business Smith Hebert, and formerly worked at consultancy McKinsey.

Lawrence Hene, who had been the interim managing director of Ocado Retail, will be deputy chief executive “for a transitional period before he moves back into a senior role within the Ocado group”.

Ocado Retail will be chaired by Ocado founder Tim Steiner. The other directors of Ocado Retaiil are Duncan Tatton-Brown, chief financial officer of Ocado, M&S chief executive Steve Rowe and M&S food managing director Stuart Machin.

Steiner said: “Ocado Retail’s future, as part of a joint venture with M&S, is full of opportunity. The new company will be able to offer customers even greater range, service, quality and value. Our collaboration will also allow us to grow the business faster, add more jobs, and create more value for all our stakeholders. We are very excited to be working together.”

Rowe said: “The addition of Ocado to our family of businesses marks M&S’ first truly transformational step in shaping our future as a digital-first retailer. Through its unique technology, Ocado has developed the most cost-advantaged model in online grocery retail and our new partnership unlocks growth for M&S Food through an immediately profitable, scalable presence in the UK’s fastest-growing grocery sales channel.

“I am absolutely delighted that our JV will be led by Melanie. She is a real talent who combines extensive retail knowledge, strategic vision and a focus on delivery.”

Ocado Retail will start selling M&S products in September next year, unless existing arrangements with Waitrose terminate earlier.