Helen Webb has been appointed Chief People Officer at the John Lewis Partnership, effective 24 November.
Webb joins from WHSmith, where she was Chief People Officer, bringing over 30 years of retail and people leadership experience and a proven track record in managing large-scale organisational change.
Her previous experience includes serving as Chief People & Services Officer at the Co-op, alongside senior roles at Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, and Aviva.
John Lewis Partnership chairman Jason Tarry said Webb would play an instrumental role in shaping the group’s people strategy and “fostering our strong Partner ethos”.
“I’m delighted to appoint Helen to the executive team as our new chief people officer,” Tarry said. “Helen will play a crucial role in nurturing our unique Partner culture and ensuring the Partnership remains a fantastic place to work.
“This is also a moment for me to express my huge gratitude to Jo Rackham, who has led brilliantly as interim chief people officer for the past 18 months. During this period, Jo has forged ahead with the People agenda and progressed important changes that are foundational to our work in the years ahead.”
Webb said she felt “privileged” to be joining the Partnership, which she described as “a business renowned for its unique ownership model and deep commitment to its Partners.”
“I’m passionate about creating an environment where people can thrive and feel a true sense of belonging and I’m looking forward to working with the team to build on the Partnership’s strong foundations in the People space,” she added.