Will Kernan, former Neptune chairman is to
become John Lewis md.
He will succeed Peter Ruis, who is leaving after
less than three years in the role.
Kernan has been a John Lewis Partnership
non-executive director since 2023 after more than
three decades in senior retail roles, including ceo at River Island, The White Company and Wiggle; and spending 13 years at New Look where positions
included group fd group trading director, coo and
group md.
‘Having served on the Partnership’s board for three years, I have a clear understanding of the John Lewis business and a huge appreciation for the partnership’s values and employee-ownership model. We have significant headroom for growth and I’m looking forward to leading the team to ensure John Lewis remains the country’s most trusted and loved retailer, in store and online,’ says Kernan.
The role is Ruis’s second spell at the department store chain, returning in January 2024 after a nine-year employment, latterly as buying and brand director. The chain says he is leaving to ‘pursue new projects.’
‘After nearly three years of significant investment and modernisation, the business is now on a much stronger footing. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved, and there is so much more still to come. I would like to thank our customers, Partners, brands and suppliers for their incredible support and I wish Will the best of luck as
he takes up the reins.’
‘Peter has done a fantastic job and will be missed
by all. He’s injected energy and pace into the John
Lewis transformation and we are sad to see him go,’ says Jason Tarry, John Lewis Partnership chairman.
‘I’m pleased that we’ve been able to oversee an
orderly succession with Will who knows John Lewis
and the team incredibly well from his time on the partnership’s board.’
