Proactive Investors - Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LSE:LON:MKS) confirmed its technology boss Jeremy Pee will be stepping down to return to Canada just over six months after his role at the retailer was expanded.
Having driven the development of M&S’s digital click-and-collect scheme, Pee also introduced the Sparks loyalty programme and added in-store screens for clothing returns all in a five-year tenure, having become chief digital and technology officer in 2018.
Co-chief executive Katie Bickerstaffe will now take over Pee’s responsibilities after she stretched his role in January to switch focus from just data to broader technology.
“After five years at M&S, Jeremy is moving his family back to Canada in a planned move,” a spokesman for the retail chain told the Times.
Russ Mould, head of investment at AJ Bell, believes part of the turnaround success at M&S, which has caused the share price to soar more than 73% in 2023, is down to the improvement of its website.
Speaking to Proactive, Mould reflected: “You could argue its website hasn’t always been able to do what you’d like it to do.
“Fast forward and its website has improved and even its joint venture with Ocado (LON:OCDO) is doing better despite still not making money.”
Pee was also influential in helping M&S expand its offering to digital channels, developing a click-and-collect app which last year saw a 42% increase in active users, with around 4.3 million people using the service.
M&S shares are down around 0.7% on Monday, having opened at just under 222p.