Marks and Spencer Group announces appointment of Non-Executive Directors

Marks and Spencer Group has announced the appointment of Tamara Ingram and Sapna Sood as a Non-Executive Directors with effect from 21 May 2020.

Tamara joins from a longstanding leadership career in advertising, marketing and digital communications having held leadership roles at WPP since 2002, including setting up the consumer insight division.

Prior to this Tamara worked at Saatchi and Saatchi where she held the roles of CEO and Chair. Tamara has a deep understanding of the customer and has led renowned marketing campaigns for household brands around the world.

Tamara has also delivered cultural and business transformation at pace within her own businesses as well as on behalf of clients. She is currently Non-Executive Chair of Wunderman Thompson and a Non-Executive Director for Marsh MacLennan.

Sapna is a Group Director at Compass Group PLC and has been Non-Executive Director at Kering for the last four years. In her previous career she held leading operational roles in the building materials and industrial gas sectors in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Sapna has in-depth knowledge of running complex supply chains, including in food and clothing, as well as experience of leading large transformation programmes.

In addition to these non-executive appointments to the Board, Katie Bickerstaffe started in her role of Chief Strategy and Transformation Director on Monday 27 April and will step down from the Board at the AGM in July 2020, and Eoin Tonge is confirmed to join the Board as Chief Financial Officer on 8 June.

Having served for over six years, Alison Brittain has decided that the time is now right to step down from the Board and she will retire as a Director prior to the AGM in July 2020.

Chairman Archie Norman said: “To support the transformation challenge at M&S we have built a very strong board with diverse and relevant operational experience who are closely engaged with the executive team.

"The appointment of Tamara and Sapna, in addition to Eoin joining the Board as an Executive Director, will bring in fresh and diverse talent and two exceptionally smart new people. Our enormous thanks go to Alison who has been a strong and active board member for the last six years.”