M&S technology chief quits less than a year after cyberattack

Another of Marks & Spencer's (M&S) most senior technology executives is leaving the company less than a year after its operations were devastated by a cyberattack.

Sky News has learnt that Josie Smith, the retailer's chief technology officer, is stepping down just 18 months after joining the company.

Her departure was disclosed internally this week in a memo which said she had "decided to leave M&S".

Ms Smith, who previously worked at BT Group and Vodafone, will be replaced by Darren Gibson, the fashion, home and beauty technology transformation director.

Her exit comes four months after Rachel Higham, M&S's chief digital and technology officer, left the business.

Last year's cyberattack cost M&S hundreds of millions of pounds and underlined the extent to which leading British companies are now vulnerable to widespread disruption from hackers.

The April incident, which was conducted by a group called Scattered Spider, brought its online operations to a halt for weeks.

Earlier this month, it reported a fall in like-for-like clothing sales during the crucial Christmas trading period, which it partly blamed on "the long tail" effects of the cyberattack.

Monday's internal memo also said that Krista Nordlund, M&S's chief product officer, would leave the company in July to return to the US.

An M&S spokeswoman confirmed the contents of the memo.