John Lewis has poached a key figure behind the transformation of Marks & Spencer to drive forward its efforts to improve its offer and win back shoppers.
Anna Braithwaite will take on the role of Chief Customer Officer at the department store retailer from 1st October, reporting to its Managing Director, Peter Ruis. She will be responsible for leading the John Lewis brand and marketing across all channels, loyalty, customer experience, and creative and content teams.
Braithwaite has over 25 years of brand and marketing experience. She started her career at John Lewis, joining as a graduate trainee and spending a decade in a variety of marketing roles.
She then moved to fashion brands Hobbs and Jacques Vert before joining Tesco, where she was Head of Brand Marketing for F&F Clothes and Global Brand Director for Non-Food. Most recently, Braithwaite was Marketing Director for Fashion, Home and Beauty at M&S, helping it modernise its image and broaden its appeal to younger and more style-conscious consumers.
Reports suggested that her appointment highlights the retailer’s renewed ambition to win back the shoppers of middle England and revive its core promise of quality, value and service.
Ruis commented: “I’m thrilled that Anna is returning to John Lewis. Her understanding of the John Lewis brand and her laser focus on the needs of customers make her the ideal person to lead our customer and marketing strategy. I know that Anna will build on the John Lewis experience that our customers know and love.”
Braithwaite added: “I can’t wait to get started again at John Lewis, a brand that I know very well and which is synonymous with exceptional customer service, quality and value. I’m incredibly excited to be joining at such a pivotal time, following the return of a re-energised Never Knowingly Undersold and with John Lewis recently being awarded Which? Retailer of the Year.”
