What: John Lewis has appointed Anna Milne as director of merchandising, reinforcing its leadership team amid a major transformation and fashion strategy overhaul.

Why it is important: This appointment reflects John Lewis’s commitment to strengthening its merchandising expertise as it pursues ambitious growth and transformation in a competitive retail market.

The appointment of Anna Milne as director of merchandising at John Lewis in October 2025 marks a pivotal moment in the retailer’s ongoing transformation. This leadership move is closely aligned with John Lewis’s accelerated fashion strategy, which saw the addition of 100 new premium brands and exclusive collaborations in August 2025 as part of an £800 million turnaround programme. The retailer’s focus on merchandising leadership and brand positioning is further supported by plans to double its fashion business, announced in July 2025, and the recruitment of expert talent to drive this ambition. The August 2025 appointment of Dom McBrien as chief digital and omnichannel officer underscores the importance of digital innovation and leadership agility in John Lewis’s growth strategy. Under Peter Ruis’s direction, the company has also restructured its buying and merchandising teams, emphasising brand curation and customer engagement. These strategic changes and investments highlight John Lewis’s determination to reinvent the department store model and secure its relevance in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

IADS Notes: Anna Milne’s appointment as director of merchandising in October 2025 (Retail Week) is part of a broader leadership renewal, supporting John Lewis’s addition of 100 new premium brands and exclusive collaborations in August 2025 (Retail Gazette). The July 2025 announcement to double the fashion business and the August 2025 hiring of Dom McBrien as chief digital and omnichannel officer (The Retail Bulletin) further reinforce this transformation. Under Peter Ruis, the retailer has restructured its merchandising teams and focused on brand curation and customer engagement, as outlined in October 2024 (Retail Week)

John Lewis appoints new director of merchandising