John Lewis Partnership has appointed a former Tesco and Dunnhumby director as a non-executive on its board.
Clare Swindell, also a former co-chief executive of National Lottery operator Camelot, brings the retailer experience gained at customer data specialist Dunnhumby – Tesco’s Clubcard partner – where she was group chief financial officer.
Swindell also spent 17 years at Tesco, with her positions there including chief financial officer of Tesco.com.
She replaces ex-Hobbs chief executive Nicky Dulieu, who stood down from JLP last December, and will also chair the Partnership’s audit and risk committee.
John Lewis Partnership chair Dame Sharon White said: “On behalf of the board, I’m delighted to welcome Clare Swindell. I know her broad range of skills and experience in leading retail and consumer businesses will be a real asset to the Partnership.”
Swindell joins the Partnership, which owns grocer Waitrose as well as the department store chain, as it battles to turn around its performance.
The business has recently been engulfed in controversies ranging from potentially bringing in external investment – seen by some as a threat to its unique ownership structure – and potential job losses over the next few years.
White will not seek to serve a second term and will leave in February 2025.
The Partnership also named Jane Hanson as an independent external member of its audit and risk committee. It said Hanson brings more than 30 years’ experience “in consumer-focused, FTSE, regulated and not-for-profit boards in both the private and public sectors”.
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