Jayne Wall joins Marks & Spencer from Morrisons as director of central store operations

M&S has recruited former Morrisons retail operations director Jayne Wall as its new director of central store operations.

Wall is set to join M&S in August when the retailer’s head of central operations Peter Line retires from a full-time leadership role after 40 years with the business.

Wall has held a variety of roles at Morrisons, with a focus on transformation. She has overseen the design and rollout of format and range localisation, sustained and elevated the Market Street offer and service, and taken a leading role in the business’s response to the pandemic. For the past three years she has been looking after 250 stores across England, Scotland, Wales and Gibraltar.

Line is taking a role at Woolworths in South Africa, acting as the retailer’s relationship manager with M&S from later this summer.

“We’re delighted to have Jayne joining us and she comes at an exciting time for M&S as we go faster on our plan to bring our bigger, better and brighter stores to more customers,” said M&S operations director Sacha Berendji.

“At the heart of our strategy to reshape M&S, brilliant stores are how we offer our customers the best experience, however and wherever they choose to shop with us, and Jayne’s experience and new ideas around great service, in-store execution and developing talent, will be a great addition to the team.

“We also wish Peter the absolute best in his new role after an incredible 40 years with M&S and look forward to working with him in his new role at Woolworths in South Africa, continuing the long-running relationship between our two businesses.”

Wall said: “I am very proud to be joining M&S, the UK’s most trusted brand, and can see the great progress the team have made under Stuart [Machin]’s leadership. I am looking forward to being part of that high-performing team and bringing all my stores experience to support the business’ ambitious growth plans.

“I’m particularly excited about bringing my passion for developing frontline talent to this amazing brand and supporting M&S to be the best place in town to work and shop.”