John Lewis has appointed Ed Connolly to the brand new role of partnership strategy director, as part of its continuing transformation and long term sustainability strategy.
Connolly’s new role means he will be responsible for “developing the long term direction and sustainability of the partnership”.
The announcement comes as the department store retailer continues to face pressure on various fronts, including a slowdown in consumer spending.
Once he moves to the new role, Connolly – who is currently John Lewis’ interim trading director – will then be replaced by Simon Coble.
Coble is currently head of The Body Shop’s European division and was the former UK managing director of the retail chain, too.
He has also spent the majority of his career at fashion retailers, including 13 years at Arcadia Group and a stint as chief executive of Uniqlo.
John Lewis managing director Paula Nickolds said: “It is an important appointment for us as we continue to reinvent John Lewis and put the customer at the heart of everything we do from the design of our truly unique own brand ranges to the experiences we offer our customers that they cannot get anywhere else.”
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