Marks & Spencer’s HR director will retire next month, amid a major shake-up of the board and management team.
The retail giant has announced several senior management changes, including that Keith Cameron will leave in April 2008, after four years at the company.
Cameron helped lead the once ailing department store into an impressive recovery, which in 2006 saw a 47% increase in profits. He introduced a controversial £10m staff motivation exercise and embarked on a major recruitment drive to improve service in stores.
Before news of his retirement, Cameron told Personnel Today: “The job’s great there’s nothing quite like it. But I’m getting old and long in the tooth, and I think Stuart [Rose] needs somebody else for the job.”
The company intends to appoint an additional HR director and non-executive director “in due course” according to its website.
Other changes will see the current chief executive, Stuart Rose, become executive chairman from 1 June 2008 when the current chairman, Lord Burns, will depart. David Michels will become deputy chairman from the same date.
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Stuart Rose said: “In addition to the board changes, we have reviewed the senior management structure and have made a number of changes to streamline the organisation.”
Other changes include:
- Ian Dyson will become group finance and operations director, taking on responsibility for retail and HR, as well as finance, IT, logistics, property and store development.
- Steve Sharp will continue as executive director, marketing, with responsibility for marketing, M&S money and store design.
- Rose is set to retire in July 2011, at the company’s AGM.
