Marks & Spencer picks former McDonalds boss to revive fashion sales

Jill McDonald, 52, takes up the newly created title of managing director, clothing, home and beauty
Clothing sales had been on the slide for five years when Mr Rowe was appointed at the head of M&S last year

The former UK boss of McDonald’s has become the latest business high-flyer handed the “poisoned chalice” of trying to revive Marks & Spencer’s struggling clothing sales.

Jill McDonald, 52, who ran the burger chain for five years until 2015, takes up the newly created title of managing director, clothing, home and beauty.

She joins from bike and car parts retailer Halfords, where she was chief executive for two years.

The appointment by M&S boss Steve Rowe was seen in the City as a bold move to build on the first tentative signs of success in the struggle to prevent fashion sales haemorrhaging to rivals such as Zara, Next and Primark.

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Clothing sales had been on the slide for five years when Mr Rowe succeeded Marc Bolland at the head of Britain’s best known retailer last year.

A number of highly rated retail stars have tried - largely without success - to reverse the trend in recent years.

They include Kate Bostock who left in 2012, and John Dixon, who quit in 2015. Both had been tipped as potential future chief executives of M&S. Mr Bolland’s departure was largely blamed on City impatience with his failure to reverse the slump in clothing sales.

Jill McDonald, managing director, clothing, home and beauty
Patrick Balls

Mr Rowe surprised the City when he kept personal responsibility for M&S’s non-food departments after he was made chief executive in April last year. But in December he asked headhunters JCA to find a new fashion boss to replace him in the role.

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A more upbeat trading statement in January, revealing the first quarterly rise in sales in the clothing and home division for almost two years, suggested a corner might have been turned.

Mr Rowe said: “I am pleased with the progress we have made in clothing and home over the last year and the time is now right for this appointment.

“Jill is an excellent addition to the M&S senior leadership team. Jill’s first-class customer knowledge and great experience in running dynamic, high-achieving teams make her exactly the right person to lead this all-important part of our business from recovery in to growth.”

Ms McDonald said: “M&S has a unique, special relationship with its customers and I am very motivated by working closely with customers to drive and shape results. I have long been an M&S customer and professional fan, so working with the brand was a career opportunity that I just couldn’t turn down. I am looking forward to joining Steve and the team later this year to build on the plans that are already under way.”

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