M&S names new womenswear chief

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 5, 2022

M&S will have a new womenswear leader as of July as Jill Stanton steps down and Maddy Evans takes over. The retailer, whose once-ailing clothing ops have seen a strong recovery in recent periods, is promoting Evans from within. She joined the firm in late 2019, not long before the pandemic started, and it said she’s been “instrumental in the reshaping” of its womenswear.

She oversaw the M&S x Ghost collab that made a big impact and also the launch of new ideas like The Edit. And the company said she’s helped improve customers’ views of the firm’s offer in terms of its value and style.

Stanton meanwhile has also been a key player in many of the changes that have happened at the company in her four years there and in her role as Director of Womenswear, Beauty and Home. 

Evans won’t take on the full spread of categories that Stanton has been in charge of, focusing purely on the firm’s key Womenswear offer. Kidswear will now report to Director of Menswear Wes Taylor and Beauty to Director of Home Heidi Woodhouse.

That latter move makes sense given the key gifting aspect of both those categories.