Former md of John Lewis will be responsible for the commercial success of Sainsbury’s £7.8bn general merchandise and clothing business.
Sainsbury’s has hired the former md of John Lewis – Paula Nickolds – as its new commercial director for general merchandise and clothing.
In her new role, Paula (pictured) will be responsible for the commercial success of Sainsbury’s £7.8 billion general merchandise and clothing business which includes Sainsbury’s general merchandise, Argos, Habitat and Tu clothing, all of which are critical to support the retailer’s ambitions in food.
She takes over the role from Mike Luck, who will be pursuing a career outside of Sainsbury’s, having joined the graduate scheme 18 years ago.
“I am delighted that Paula is joining us, she is a highly respected, talented and experienced retail leader,” commented Simon Roberts, chief executive at Sainsbury’s. “I am certain that under her leadership, our brands that deliver – Argos, Habitat and Tu – will continue to delight our customers and support everything we are doing in food. Paula brings deep experience in product, brands and commercial leadership and she has a passion for understanding and delivering for customers.”
Paula – who worked at the John Lewis Partnership for 25 years, becoming md in 2017 until January last year – added: “I’m excited to be joining Sainsbury’s. It is a retailer with fantastic heritage that is trusted by customers for its great combination of quality and value. It’s an important and dynamic time for the retail sector and I am thrilled to join the team for the next phase of growth and innovation, as well as the opportunity to make a difference to millions of customers’ lives through the much-loved Argos, Habitat and Tu brands.”
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