John Lewis chief executive to step back next year as role to be scrapped

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy John Lewis Partnership boss Nish Kankiwala is to step back from the role of chief executive following the appointment of new chairman Jason Tarry at the helm, the group has announced. “Since then we’ve refreshed our partnership strategy to be rooted in retail; significantly improved our cash flows to enable record investment for growth; and returned the partnership to full-year profit.” He added: “I have every confidence in Jason taking the partnership from strength to strength in the next phase of our transformation and am delighted to continue to support him and the board in an advisory capacity going forward.” Mr Tarry said Mr Kankiwala had been “instrumental in accelerating the transformation of the partnership”. John Lewis revealed last month it had sharply narrowed half-year losses and forecast that annual profits would be “significantly” higher. The group also last month brought back its “never knowingly undersold” price pledge in a major U-turn after ditching the commitment two years ago over concerns it was less relevant to shoppers.