M&S in talks with Angelides over top clothing role - reports

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Feb 14, 2017

M&S is reported to have offered Christos Angelides, formerly the product director at Next, the role of head of its clothing divisions, according to reports.

But some reports said the retail giant is still in talks with Angelides and is also speaking to other candidates, with one internal candidate, M&S’s womenswear & beauty head Jo Jenkins, being considered too.

There were rumours in the New Year that Angelides was at the top of the M&S wishlist, along with Fat Face CEO Anthony Thompson, and former Mothercare boss Mark Newton-Jones.

However, there could be complications with Angelides taking the post. One is that it is not a board-level role and with the exec having formerly been the key player at Next during its most successful phase and having also been brand president at Abercrombie & Fitch, anything less than a board position might not be acceptable.

Additionally, he is currently a non-executive director at French Connection and has been seen by activist investors at that company as the person to help drive through change. Under UK rules he would have to step down from that post.

But with the M&S job being one of the highest profile positions in the UK fashion sector, it could be tempting.

Neither M&S nor Angelides have commented on the reports.