M&S hires Wal-Mart director to run food business

LONDON (Brand Republic) – Marks & Spencer has poached a senior Wal-Mart executive Justin King to run its UK food business.

King, who was managing director of UK Hypermarkets at Wal-Mart, will take on the title of business unit director of foods, a position which has been vacant since March. He will run a sector that generates 40% of annual sales for M&S.

He is replacing Roger Whiteside, who left to join an online food company, LM Solutions.

Despite the lack of a food chief the division has been performing better than M&S’ struggling clothes arm.

M&S has also hired Michele Jobling as new business unit director of childrenwear. She was previously managing director of Liberty, but left when the company was bought by property company Marylebone Warwick Balfour.

This article was first published on brandrepublic.com