The sudden departure of Pippa Wicks from John Lewis last week has been blamed on a culture clash at the partnership.

Pippa Wicks, former John Lewis executive director

Pippa Wicks has left John Lewis Partnership 

Wicks’ “hard-charging management style” is said to have been at odds with John Lewis’ “more genteel culture”, according to a report by The Sunday Times.

One source said that Wicks “was not very ‘partnership’ at all” despite her near three-year tenure with the retailer being marked by successes such as the launch of John Lewis’ Anyday value range and its ‘For all life’s moments’ rebrand.

During her tenure, Wicks also oversaw the closure of 16 John Lewis department stores around the UK.

She has been replaced with immediate effect on an interim basis by Naomi Simcock, John Lewis’ retail director.

Former Co-op deputy chief executive Wicks says she was hired by John Lewis chair Dame Sharon White after meeting her at a dinner party. The pair met for a coffee and White then tasked Wicks with helping her turn the department store chain around.

Last week, White said Wicks had been “instrumental in reinvigorating the brand”.

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