Marc Bolland for M&S: not the fashionable choice?

“Who?” seemed to be the reaction of many in the fashion sector when we rang them to get their reaction to the appointment of Marc Bolland as chief executive of Marks & Spencer yesterday.

However, this response won’t be anything new to the Dutch chief who joined Morrisons in 2006. Nobody had heard of him in the UK as he had spent 20 years at Heineken, but he succeeded in turning around the grocer, and won over the City.

With a background in food and FMCG, Bolland would not an obvious choice to take over one of the UK’s biggest fashion retailers. Never mind a retailer that has the unenviable job of trying to appeal to all ages and be fashionable without alienating core customers.

As one retail expert pointed out with M&S “if you get womenswear right, the rest follows”.

M&S clothing boss Kate Bostock is very well thought of and if she can work well with Bolland there is no reason why they cannot continue to strengthen the offer.

Charming but tough, Bolland has only worked in UK retail for a few years is likely to be very different to retail veteran Sir Stuart Rose - but he is well thought of and is extremely charismatic.

M&S has often preferred to create its own bosses, moving them up the ranks, and its succession planning will be another challenge that Bolland may need to address.

But as with the formerly family-run Morrisons, the culture change was a positive one and M&S, which has been the subject of some criticism in recent years may benefit from a fresh look from an outsider who can really streamline its strategy.

Bolland was not a grocer when he came to Leeds to run Morrisons but made a huge success of his short time there.

Rose will also be keen to work with Bolland before his departure to regain some favour from the City so his final swan song at M&S is a happy one.

What M&S says is that it is Bolland’s marketing background that sets him in good stead to really position the brand in the right place and grow it internationally.

Bostock, who many say did not want the chief executive role, has the chance now to really shine and if she takes this chance M&S could up its fashion game and its new chief and M&S could win over any critics.