Marks & Spencer has appointed a new chief people officer who joins from Asda, Retail Week can reveal.
Marks & Spencer has drafted in Hayley Tatum, one of the best known chief people officers in the industry who also brings experience from Tesco and Asda. Tatum will start at M&S in October, beginning with time in stores and distribution centres as is standard among new M&S directors and becoming a member of the retailer’s executive committee.
She replaces Sarah Findlater, who has been M&S people officer for three years and is moving on.
M&S chief executive Stuart Machin, who has worked with Tatum in the past, told staff of her appointment in an internal memo seen by Retail Week.
Machin wrote: “I know Hayley has a very hands-on and collaborative leadership style and has carried out many roles over the years across HR and store operations.
“We have lots to do over the years ahead to transform M&S and importantly, become even closer to our customers and closer to our colleagues. Our aim is to be the most trusted brand with a high performance culture.
“Hayley joins at a critical time as we want to accelerate the pace of change across all of our people plans, attracting and developing the very best talent in the industry and rethinking engagement and performance.”
He paid tribute to Findlater, who originally joined M&S as a graduate trainee in 1998.
Machin said: “Sarah has been an absolutely fantastic colleague and leader in the business over the past 27 years. Sarah leaves a broad legacy from modernising our people systems, to resetting our talent and performance processes and was the first of our executive leadership team to spend three months in a store driving our Closer to Customer, Closer to Colleagues programme. Sarah has always been passionate about making M&S a great place to work for everybody.”
No comments yet