UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has confirmed experienced fashion figure Jane Robson is set to become the company’s fashion, home & beauty director of sourcing, quality & sustainability.
Robson’s was, until recently, the chief operating officer (COO) at Vogue Sourcing UK, and she has held several non-executive director and advisory positions at organisations such as Threadbare, Fanfare Label, My Wardrobe HQ, and the British Fashion Council.
In the last week, Robson announced via LinkedIn her departure from the non-exec role at Threadbare as well as her exit from the COO position at Vogue Sourcing UK.
She posted she was proud to have sat on the board of “such an innovative and exciting brand” in Threadbare, which she described as “a founder-led business which is challenging the status quo of much bigger brands”.
M&S, who Robson will join in August, described its new recruit as “an expert in fashion sourcing strategy” and talked up her career experience of “reshaping complex international sourcing offices”. Indeed, she was previously at Next Sourcing Limited in Hong Kong and she also founded luxury womenswear brand lsabi, which no longer trades.
Robson will be based at M&S’s Waterside Stores support centre, and the retailer said she will start her role with a thorough induction, and spending time in stores, sourcing offices and with the business’s supply base.
Robson arrives at M&S, with current director Monique Leeuwenburgh retiring in October. She has been with M&S for seven years.
John Lyttle, managing director for fashion, home, & beauty at M&S, commented: “Monique has been instrumental in shaping our global sourcing strategy, strengthening key supplier partnerships, and leading transformation across our international operations.
“Monique is respected across the business for leading with integrity, professionalism, and collaboration, and we thank her for her commitment.”
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[image credit: M&S]
