Marks & Spencer names new digital and technology chief

Marks & Spencer has appointed John Hunt as chief digital and technology officer, taking over the responsibilities currently held by Sacha Berendji, who will be leaving the retailer next spring.

Berendji is operations director at M&S and his current remit includes digital and technology; he will remain on the M&S executive team until April 2027, allowing for a smooth handover to Hunt.

Hunt joins from Woolworths Group in Australia, where he serves as chief information officer and managing director of group enablement. His career at Woolworths spans decades; he has been based on Australia for almost 10 years and before that worked for the retailer in South Africa.

"We welcome John Hunt to M&S," said M&S CEO Stuart Machin in a Linked-in post, adding that there was "plenty of time to thank Sacha Berendji and wish him well. Sacha remains part of the exec team until April 2027. Plus he will be part of the M&S family forever!”

Berendji’s wider responsibilities include property and store development across the UK and Ireland. The appointment of a dedicated chief digital and technology officer separates that function from the broader operational portfolio and puts it under a named senior leader.

Berendji joined M&S in 1994 on the Graduate Training Programme. His career at the retailer has included general manager of the Marble Arch store, regional manager for London, head of property planning and store development from 2007, and executive assistant to the chief executive from 2009. He was promoted to retail, operations and property director in November 2018, a role that gave him overall responsibility for M&S's property portfolio.

Sacha Berendji

He said of his departure: “M&S runs though my blood and has done for more than 32 years. It’s the best brand in the country and in my view the best retailer in the world. I think the leadership and the clarity of our strategy is stronger now than it has ever been and I am very confident about the future of M&S.”

Machin said that Berendji was “a loyal, hardworking and trusted colleague.” “All if us at M&S turn to him for advice, support and that extra bit of wisdom,” he added.

Hunt's career at Woolworths Group gives him experience in enterprise technology across large-scale retail. His move from Woolworths South Africa to the Australian business in 2017 came after more than two decades in the group's South African operations. At Woolworths Group, his current title, chief information officer and managing director of group enablement, combines technology leadership with broader operational scope.

M&S has not yet disclosed a formal start date for Hunt or detailed the scope of the new role.

The announcement of John Hunt’s appointment follows news last week that M&S head of operations Simon Wood was leaving the business after 25 years.