John Lewis appoints interim finance chief

British department store John Lewis has announced that Andy Mounsey will be taking on the role of executive director for finance in an interim capacity as the search for a permanent successor is underway.

Mounsey will be replacing Bérangère Michel, who announced she was stepping down in April after a 16 year run at the company. Michel is set to leave on September 6, after which Mounsey will take on the position.

In the meantime, Mounsey will initially begin to aid John Lewis in the handover process from July 1 in order to ensure a smooth transition.

He currently serves as the Partnership’s group finance and strategy director, but has been with the business for 12 years in a number of senior finance roles.

In a release, John Lewis CEO, Nish Kankiwala, called Mounsey a “valued member” of the company’s finance team, with a “deep understanding of the Partnership and the retail sector”.

Kankiwala continued: “I am delighted that Andy is able to support the Partnership during this interim phase to ensure a smooth transition and our continued focus on executing against our transformation plan."

In his own statement, Mounsey said: “I’m incredibly privileged to be taking on this role. The Partnership‘s finances are in a healthy position enabling us to invest significantly across the business for our customers. I’m looking forward to working with the board and executive team to continue our transformation journey.”