Jason Tarry will become chairman of the John Lewis Partnership in September. Photo: Chris Radburn
John Lewis has appointed a chairman with decades of retail experience. to lead the next phase of change, breaking with tradition of stripping Ms Sharon White of the power to appoint her successor.
Jason Tarry, who joined Tesco in 1990 as a trainee and left last year after serving as chief executive instead UK was appointed by the board of the mutual company.
The new process follows a change to the John Lewis constitution introduced in January and approved by the partnership council, a group made up of partners of varying seniority.
Meeting minutes seen by The Telegraph say 50 members of the council voted in favor stripping the chairman of his powers and “demanded clarification about the nature of the chairman’s participation in the entire process.” One abstained.
The move follows a turbulent period for the retailer after it came under intense financial pressure and staff questioned Dame Sharon's lack of commercial experience. The former civil servant was appointed by her predecessor Sir Charlie Mayfield in 2019.
She initiated a review of the management of John Lewis when she announced her departure in October, becoming the shortest-serving chairman in the history of the business.A spokesman said: “The process has been adapted this time. Previously, the candidacy of the chairman was approved by the council. This time, the [rules]… were amended to formalize the appointment of the board of directors.
“It is good management practice to review the responsibilities and scope of all management positions from time to time, especially before hiring.” .
The partnership recently revised its plans to improve the situation, including abandoning its goal of making 40% of its profits outside of retail by 2030. John Lewis returned to profit last year for the first time since the pandemic. Dame Sharon has made a number of difficult decisions in a bid to revamp the company, including reneging on her promise to “never knowingly underprice” and closing 16 stores.
Mr Tarry will take charge as the seventh John Lewis. chairman in September. His appointment was welcomed by retail experts but sparked controversy from campaigners for better representation of women in senior positions. Since last year, the share of women on the partnership board has decreased from 60% to 40%.
Fiona Hathorne, chief executive of Women on Boards, which works to increase women's representation in senior positions, said: “It's disappointing to see that John Lewis appears to have filled all the top positions with men, given that the new Chairman is a man.” The group's chief executive is male, and two members of the executive board of John Lewis and Waitrose are also male respectively.”
In January, John Lewis hired former Jigsaw boss Peter Ruiz to lead the department stores, replacing Naomi Simcock.
Nish Kankiwala, a former Hovis boss, was hired as the group's first chief executive last year.
The addition of Tarry, 56, means the board will now consist of five men and four women, up from last year when it had five women and three men.
Current chair Dame Sharon White said last year she would step down at the end of her term. Photo: Geoff Overs/BBC
John Lewis's current list of female board members includes deputy chairman Rita Clifton and chief financial officer Bérenger Michel.
Despite the change in board composition, with 40 per cent of positions held by women, John Lewis would still meet the Financial Conduct Authority's recommended threshold of 40 per cent for female board members if it were public. company.
It comes after Dame Sharon said last year she was struggling to recruit men into senior roles in an attempt to change what she called a “strong male culture” at the company. Speaking at an International Women's Day event in London, she said she had faced a backlash over the recruitment and promotion of women.
“I've definitely gotten emails saying, oh my god, there are too many [women].” she said, commenting on the decision to hire a female deputy chairman in 2020.
Mr Tarry led Tesco's UK operations for six years and was credited with playing a crucial role in steering the supermarket through the Covid pandemic. When he resigned, Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy said he had made the supermarket “the most competitive we have ever been”.
Mr Tarry's appointment comes as the partnership refocuses on its core retail business, shelving plans for a rapid move away from the high street.
Dame Sharon said Mr Tarry has a “fantastic leadership track record retailing through transformation.” ” and that she was confident that he would develop the business “from strength to strength.” She added that he “clearly values and supports the partnership model.”
It follows rumors last year that the retailer was considering selling its stake to raise money for its turnaround. This was later dropped.
Mr Tarry said: “The Partnership and its brands embody trust, value, quality and service and I am honored to succeed Sharon as its seventh Chairman. This partnership is unique and I have long been a fan of the employee-owned model, its values and partner-led customer service.
“It all starts with our focus on being the best retailer for clients and invest in them. in growth.”
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