John Lewis finance chiefs in major reshuffle

ALL THREE of the senior finance roles at John Lewis have changed hands as part of a management reshuffle at the retail group.

Patrick Lewis becomes FD of the partnership, or group, taking over from Loraine Woodhouse.

Having held the group role on an interim basis following Helen Weir’s departure, Woodhouse becomes FD of Waitrose. Current Waitrose FD Tom Athron moves up to group development director.

Woodhouse is ranked in the Accountancy Age 2015 Financial Power List. Weir left John Lewis to take up the Marks & Spencer CFO role in November 2014.

Berangere Michel takes on the John Lewis FD role, taking over from Rachel Osborne who leaves the partnership.

Sir Charlie Mayfield, partnership chairman, said: “I am delighted to announce these four senior appointments today. They are significant as the partnership enters its next phase of development.

“I am confident that all four individuals will make strong contributions to the partnership in their new roles. I’m particularly pleased that we were able to make all these senior appointments from within the deep talent pool that we have inside the partnership.

“Patrick Lewis has played a central role in the progress of the partnership in recent years on the group board as both the partners’ counsellor and more recently as managing director of partnership services. This experience, together with his operational track record, made him an excellent candidate for the group finance director role.”