Sainsbury’s names former M&S chief as non-executive director

British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has appointed Katie Bickerstaffe, former Marks and Spencer co-chief executive, as a non-executive director.

In a statement, Sainsbury’s said that Bickerstaffe would be a member of the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Committee and the Nomination and Governance Committee.

Bickerstaffe is a highly regarded retail and consumer business leader, with Sainsbury’s stating she will bring “strong perspectives on digital business models and transformation programmes” to the business.

She has held numerous leadership positions, including as co-CEO of M&S, executive chair and CEO designate at SSE and CEO of the UK and Ireland at Dixons Carphone, as well as roles at Somerfield Stores group, Dyson, PepsiCo and Unilever. Currently, Bickerstaffe is also a non-executive director of Aberdeen Group plc, Barratt Redrow plc and a non-executive director and senior independent director of Diploma plc.

In addition, the current chief executive of The Sage Group, Steve Hare was also named a non-executive director. He will join the Audit and Nomination and Governance Committees.

Commenting on the appointments, Martin Scicluna, chair of Sainsbury's, said: “I am delighted to welcome Katie and Steve as non-executive directors. Their extensive experience and leadership in retail and digital businesses will be invaluable to our Board. Katie’s strong perspectives on digital transformation and Steve’s expertise in leading tech businesses will greatly contribute to our strategic direction. We look forward to their insights and contributions as we continue to drive Sainsbury’s forward.”

Bickerstaffe added: "Retail is an incredibly competitive sector and Sainsbury's has a long-standing reputation for delivering exceptional value and quality to its customers. I’m excited to join the Board and help Sainsbury’s to foster further innovation and excellence."