M&S appoints Sital Nakarja to spearhead merchandising transformation

British multinational retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has appointed Sital Nakarja as transformation lead for its merchandising planning platform. Nakarja joins the company during a period of significant operational modernisation across its fashion, home, and beauty divisions.

Announcing her new role via LinkedIn, Nakarja stated, “The opportunity to join an iconic brand like M&S, helping to modernise planning, strengthen data-led decision making and to help shape the future of retail buying and merchandising operations, was one I felt I couldn’t pass up,”.

The new appointment underscores the commitment of M&S to strengthening data-led decision making within its core retail functions. Nakarja will oversee a large-scale transformation of the planning programme, focusing on the future of buying and merchandising operations.

Experience in retail innovation

Nakarja transitions to the role following a brief tenure as head of merchandising innovation at British fashion label AllSaints. Previously, Nakarja spent more than four years at Irish fast fashion retailer Primark, where the executive served as system implementation lead for buying and merchandising.

During the time at Primark, Nakarja led the implementation of a merchandise planning solution designed to modernise processes. This work involved a focus on pre-season planning, open-to-buy (OTB) management, and size curve optimisation to drive agile, data-driven results.

The professional background of Nakarja includes extensive experience across the British high street, having held positions at British retailers River Island, Tesco, and Asos. Nakarja also served as general manager at Chiquita Bacana, a supplier for major retailers such as New Look and Topshop.

In the new role at M&S, Nakarja will focus on modernising the planning infrastructure to better align with evolving market demands. The move is part of a broader strategy by M&S to elevate its market presence through improved technological integration and strategic partnerships.