The retailer has today announced the appointment of Sharon White as its sixth chairman, replacing Sir Charlie Mayfield when he steps down from the role in early 2020. The retailer acknowledges she may not be “not the conventional retail choice the conventional retail choice” but says she is an inspirational leader.

Since March 2015, Ms White has been the chief executive of Ofcom, the UK’s communications services regulator.

Before joining Ofcom, she was Second Permanent Secretary at the Treasury, responsible for overseeing the public finances and, prior to that role, she held board level positions at the Ministry of Justice and the Department for International Development. She has also worked as an adviser at the Prime Minister's Policy Unit and in Washington DC as a senior economist at the World Bank.

Ms White is also a non-executive board member of Barratt Developments Plc, the UK FTSE 100 house builder and a Trustee of Sadler’s Wells Trust Ltd. She is a trained economist and studied at Cambridge University and University College London.

In her role as chairman, Ms White’s basic pay will be £990,000 per annum.

Current John Lewis Partnership Sir Charlie Mayfield said: “Sharon White has had a stellar career in a number of senior strategic and executive roles and during a thorough, wide-ranging and extremely competitive search she stood out, both for me and for the Nominations Committee, as an exceptional candidate. I believe she has the vision, leadership, drive and flair to steer the Partnership through its next phase.  

“I readily recognise that Sharon is not the conventional retail choice. But these are not conventional retail times, nor is the Partnership a conventional company. Sharon is an inspirational leader with the personal and professional skills to ensure the Partnership continues to innovate and change while at the same time retaining and strengthening our distinctive character and democratic vitality.

“I look forward to welcoming Sharon to the Partnership around the turn of the year and to working with her during a thorough handover. I will step down at a time to be confirmed but likely to be in early 2020, depending on Sharon’s start and a handover period.”  

Sharon White, chairman designate, said: “It is a great honour to be asked to succeed Charlie as the sixth Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership.

“I am a passionate believer in the Partnership: Partners working together for each other’s wellbeing with the confidence to invest for the long-term and a focus on delivering for our customers in a rapidly changing retail environment. John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners are not merely British retail icons, but also a model of a better way to do business.

“In my current role, my vision has been to ensure that consumers in fast-moving markets get high quality, reliable services at fair prices, from thriving businesses they can trust. Social purpose and commercial success flourish best together, which is why I am looking forward so much to working with Partners as we move ahead together.”