Marks & Spencer appoints first customer director

Marks & Spencer has appointed its first customer director, as the high street giant looks to position itself as the UK’s “most trusted retailer”.

As reported by Retail Week via an internal memo seen by the publication, current Sky managing director for customer service Anna Cook, who has been at the broadcaster for more than 16 years, will join M&S in the spring and report to operations director Sacha Berendji. 

According to Berendji, Cook brings with her “significant experience of shaping, driving and delivering high-quality customer experience strategies”.

The memo confirmed Cook will work across stores, the retailer’s Chester customer support call centre teams and the support centre to “ensure every touchpoint is supportive, seamless and aligned” with the strategy, as M&S looks to “accelerate” its transformation.

“[Cook’s] passion for driving a positive impact for customers and business will be essential as she supports us to deliver our mission of being the most trusted retailer, ensuring we deliver the magic of M&S to our 30 million customers whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us,” Berendji said in the memo.

M&S underwent leadership changes in the spring, as former food marketing director Sharry Cramond moved over to take up leadership of the brand’s clothing and home marketing. She replaced Anna Braithwaite, who joined John Lewis as chief customer officer earlier this month.

Cramond previously reiterated her ethos of putting the customer at the heart of the brand’s marketing, telling Marketing Week she’s making sure the team “really focus on storytelling and communicating the product effectively so it as easy as possible for customers to buy”. Heading up the Sparks loyalty programme, Cramond also explained the database of 20 million customers allows for personalisation and targeting of marketing messages.

Andrew Hicks, who joined from Woolworths Group in Sydney, took over as marketing director for food in September, with the retailer saying at the time his appointment was part of a “series of planned moves and new hires”.

M&S has seen growth this year despite being hit by a cyber attack expected to have cost the company £300m. In May, CEO Stuart Machin said the retailer was in its “best financial health for nearly 30 years” and is on track with its strategy of “reshaping M&S for growth”.