M&S co-CEO to step down after two years
Marks & Spencer has announced that Katie Bickerstaffe will step down as co-chief executive after two years in the role.
She will retire from M&S in July to pursue a board career.
Bickerstaffe was appointed as co-CEO in 2022, reporting to M&S chief executive Stuart Machin. She joined the retailer in 2018 as a non-executive director and moving into an executive role in 2020, before becoming co-chief operating officer alongside Machin in 2021.
During her time as co-CEO, Bickerstaffe has focused on data, digital, and technology. She will be replaced by Rachel Higham, who will be joining from WPP in the new financial year to take over this function, sitting on the Executive Committee.
Bickerstaffe will now look to develop her board career alongside the positions she already holds at Barratt Developments and the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Stuart Machin said: “I’m very grateful to Katie for her support in seeing M&S through this important period in the reshaping of the business. We now have a much stronger business, and she will move on with our very best wishes”.
Katie Bickerstaffe added: “I took on the co-CEO role to support Stuart as he succeeded to chief executive officer and because of my love for the brand and my determination to see the transformation of M&S through to the next stage. We have built a strong team, made great progress, and it is now right that the business and function heads report directly to Stuart. I will leave with great memories and a strong sense of achievement.”