Boots UK has appointed former John Lewis and V&A marketer, Charlotte Lock, as customer and marketing director.

Lock will play a crucial role as Boots continues to overhaul its brand, with the retailer’s chief customer and commercial officer, Steve Ager, saying she will help continue its “successful transformation focused on delivering exceptional experiences for our customers”.

“Charlotte joins us with deep expertise in developing leading customer journeys for loved retail brands and creating seamless connections across marketing, branding and loyalty initiatives,” he adds.

Her appointment follows the departure of former Boots UK CMO, Pete Markey, who left the business after four and a half years in June.

Lock stepped down from her role at the John Lewis Partnership in January after almost three years as the brand’s first pan-partnership customer director, working across both the John Lewis and Waitrose brands.

Former John Lewis marketing boss joins V&A to lead brand and audience strategy

She moved to the V&A shortly after as its director of audiences where she has been responsible for marketing, brand, audience, communications, digital engagement and experience. She oversaw the delivery of the V&A’s brand and audience strategy, with a focus on audiences under the age of 35. She is now an executive board member.

Before John Lewis she spent time at the Co-op, where she was director of data, loyalty and digital products, prior to which she was at the BBC for nine years, latterly as director for BBC Sport’s youth strategy.

Boots UK launched its Christmas campaign this week, putting the spotlight on its beauty offering and reimagining fairytale character Puss in Boots as ‘Puss’ who heads to Boots to find last-minute gifts for the Snow Queen’s Ball. The approach moves away from the influencer-focused 2024 campaign ‘The Christmas Makeover’ set in Mrs Claus’ workshop.