The ex-civil servant took some tough decisions at the retail chain, but hired ‘theory’ people when she needed to get to grips with the detail, say insiders
When John Lewis boss Sharon White’s plan to leave the retail group was leaked on social media earlier this week it took almost everyone at the business by surprise – only a handful of senior staff knew an announcement was imminent.
The resignation makes White the shortest-serving chairman – her chosen title – in the partnership’s history. She will have served just five years when she leaves in February 2025 – less than half the tenure of her two predecessors. Yet the former civil servant’s exit is no shock to retail watchers who have seen her three years of struggle at the head of the staff-owned group, which includes Waitrose supermarkets as well as the department stores.
