Marks & Spencer welcomes new team members to optimise sourcing

British department store Marks & Spencer has appointed Monique Leeuwenburgh as its new director of sourcing following the stepping down of Mark and Neal Lindsey.

In a letter to employees, Richard Price, the retailer’s clothing and home managing director, announced the departure of the leadership duo, stating they have “decided to take very well-deserved retirement at the end of March”.

He detailed plans to optimise the retailer’s sourcing model by working with fewer supplier partners, which he stated was “critical to improving [the company’s] value credentials and speed to market”.

Leeuwenburgh will be tasked with the merging of the retailer’s technical department and its sustainability goals, Plan A.

Price additionally announced the appointment of Dani Williams as director of commercial operations, who will build on Marks & Spencer’s mission of efficient trading and omnichannel business development. Williams previously led commercial strategies for Debenhams and Dixons.

He concluded: “The changes we have made to improve and modernise the C&H product engine have begun to drive significantly improved customer perception of value for money, whilst maintaining our market lead on quality. However, we cannot stand still, and I’m delighted that Monique and Dani will join us to go further, faster in re-engineering the C&H product engine so we can begin to shape the future and get back to sustainable growth.”