M&S names ex-Coles exec as new retail director
M&S has appointed former Coles executive Thinus Keeve to the newly created role of retail director.
M&S has appointed former Coles senior executive Thinus Keeve to the newly created role of retail director.
Keeve, who joins on 6 June, will be responsible for all of the retail giant’s stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland, as well as central store operations.
He will report into Sacha Berendji, M&S’ operations director, who will continue to have manage its retail, property, security and business continuity departments.
Keeve joins the retailer from Australia where he held several roles at the country’s second largest supermarket chain Coles, including most recently chief sustainability, property and export officer.
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M&S chief executive Stuart Machin said: “Thinus joins M&S from Australia where he has spent the majority of his career, having worked in a number of senior leadership roles at Coles. In his new role, Thinus will have accountability for all M&S stores across the UK and ROI, as well as Central Store Operations.
“Like all new senior leaders, Thinus will spend his first month working in stores getting close to colleagues and close to customers.
“Following this, to ensure stores remain at the very heart of our decision-making across M&S, in July he will also join our ExCo team.
M&S is set to open two new 18,000sq ft stores later this year in Abingdon and Cannock following its acquisition of 12 former Homebase units.
The new sites will create over 550 jobs and form a central part of the retailer’s store rotation programme aimed at building “bigger, better” locations.
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