National retailer Marks and Spencer Group plc has announced the appointment of Alison Dolan as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Alison will take over from interim CFO Jeremy Townsend who will remain in post as planned until May 2025. An exact start date for Alison will be announced in due course. She will also join the board.

Stuart Machin, Chief Executive Officer commented: “I am delighted to welcome Alison to M&S as our Chief Financial Officer. We are fortunate to attract somebody of Alison’s calibre who will be a fantastic addition to the leadership team and with so much experience in fast paced, digitally led businesses, will help us in this next phase of transforming M&S.

“I want to thank Jeremy for all his hard work and support. He will leave M&S in the strongest financial health the business has been in for decades. But Jeremy’s not going anywhere quite yet and will, as was always the plan, remain with us until May 2025.”

Alison brings a wealth of experience from her current role as CFO of the leading digital property portal, Rightmove plc, and from previous finance, strategy, and transformation roles, including with News UK and Sky.

Alison Dolan commented: “I’m delighted to be joining M&S, Stuart, and the leadership team at such an exciting time for the business. As a customer shopping at M&S I’ve always loved the brand and am thrilled to be part of reshaping the business for growth. The scale and pace of change are significant and there are so many great opportunities ahead.”