Marks & Spencer appoints Katie Bickerstaffe to executive team

Marks & Spencer said on Wednesday that non-executive director Katie Bickerstaffe will be joining the executive team as chief strategy and transformation director on 27 April.

Chief executive Steve Rowe said: "Katie has been a great help to me and the wider management team in her role as a non-executive director and I am delighted that she will now be part of the executive team.

"Her experience in leading roles at UK food and non-food retailers and track record of delivering large-scale change will be invaluable as we accelerate our transformation."

Bickerstaffe will work four days a week.

At 1400 GMT, the shares were up 1% at 182.80p.

On Tuesday, Reuters and Sky reported that Nick Hewitt, the finance director of Marks & Spencer’s food division, stepped down last month.