M&S’s chief digital & technology officer Jeremy Pee is leaving the business after five years, with co-CEO Katie Bickerstaffe to take over his responsibilities until a replacement is found.
Pee joined M&S in 2018 from Canadian supermarket Loblaws, where he was senior vice president of digital.
He was hired as M&S chief digital & data officer, to lead a planned transformation of the retailer’s digital capabilities. In January this year his role was expanded to become chief digital & technology officer.
During Pee’s tenure, M&S relaunched its Sparks loyalty scheme to be “digital first” in 2020, with a redesigned app and more personalised rewards. The number of active app users grew by 40% to 4.3 million in the year to 1 April 2023.
In July, M&S became the latest retailer to offer exclusive discounts for loyalty scheme members, with the launch of ‘Sparks Prices’ in a 50-store trial.
M&S said Pee’s departure was the result of a planned return to Canada with his family.
“After five years at M&S Jeremy is moving his family back to Canada in a planned move,” said a spokesman for the retailer. “Katie Bickerstaffe will be leading the digital, data and technology teams, which are part of her remit, until a successor is appointed.”
M&S CEO Stuart Machin is understood to be keen for further digital progress following Pee’s departure, as the retailer continues its turnaround programme.
M&S shares surged to near four-year highs last week, boosted by an unscheduled trading update in which it upgraded its earnings expectations following a strong start to the year.
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