Why is Dame Sharon White stepping down as Chairwoman of John Lewis?
JOHN Lewis boss Dame Sharon White to quit in 2025 after one term.
Who is the retail giant’s chairwoman, and why is she stepping down? Here’s what we know.
Who is Dame Sharon White?
Dame Sharon White, 56, is a British businesswoman.
She was born in east London and grew up in Leyton, where she went to Connaught School for Girls, before going to study economics at Fitzwilliam College at Cambridge University.
Dame Sharon’s parents came to the UK from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation.
She joined the civil service in 1989 and has held a variety of positions in different departments.
In December 2015 Dame Sharon was announced as the new head of Ofcom, before stepping down to replace Sir Charlie Mayfield as the chair of the John Lewis Partnership in 2019.
She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for public service.
Dame Sharon is married to economist Sir Robert Chote, with whom she has two children.
Why is Dame Sharon White stepping down?
Dame Sharon is stepping down after a five-year term, making her the shortest-serving chair in the firm’s history.
John Lewis said Dame Sharon will not be seeking another term after her first term ends in February 2025.
The announcement comes after the partnership reported losses of £234m in 2022, forcing it to scrap its annual Christmas staff bonus for the first time since 1953.
She said: “Having led the Partnership through the pandemic and the worst of the cost of living crisis, it is important that there is now a smooth and orderly succession process and handover.”
Dame Sharon has faced controversy throughout her tenure as chairwoman, notably after considering doing away with the employee-owned partnership structure by selling stakes to investors.
Although losses for the first half of 2023 had narrowed to £59m, in May 2023, Dame Sharon survived a vote of no confidence in her leadership, after losing one on confidence in the company’s performance over the past year.
The announcement comes just weeks after the John Lewis Partnership said that its financial transformation plan was set to take two years longer than anticipated.
In an interview with the BBC in June 2023, Dame Sharon defended her civil service background, stressing that her non-retail experience reflected John Lewis’ employee-owned structure.
Has a replacement for Dame Sharon White been confirmed?
John Lewis is likely to announce Dame Sharon’s successor as Chair next year, ahead of her February 2025 departure.
It is expected that someone with a retail background is selected to succeed Dame Sharon.
Dame Sharon has asked the Board to review the accountabilities of the Chairman’s role to ensure that these continue to support the successful transformation of the business.
Rita Clifton, Rita Clifton, as Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Nominations Committee, will be tasked with overseeing the process of finding a new Chair, who will then be approved by the John Lewis Partnership Board.