M&S's marketing boss latest to go in management shake-up

LONDON, April 18 (Reuters) - Britain's Marks & Spencer (Frankfurt: 534418 - news) said on Wednesday its marketing boss was leaving the retailer - the latest casualty of sweeping management changes under Chief Executive Steve Rowe and Chairman Archie Norman.

M&S said Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, executive director of customer, marketing and M&S.com, appointed by Rowe's predecessor Marc Bolland six years ago, has stepped down from the board and would leave the company at the end of next month.

Rowe is reorganising M&S into businesses with clearer lines of accountability. As a result, the corporate marketing teams will be devolved into the clothing & home and food businesses.

M&S re-set its strategy in November, two months after retail veteran Norman joined as chairman.

The firm said it would speed up store closures, accelerate the relocation and downsizing of other stores, and reposition its food offering.

Bousquet was the only executive director on M&S' board apart from Rowe after the departure of finance chief Helen Weir at the end of March. She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) is being replaced by Dixons Carphone (Frankfurt: CWB.F - news) 's finance chief Humphrey Singer in July.

Other changes Rowe has made include new heads for the clothing & home and food divisions.

Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in M&S, down 21 percent over the last year, closed unchanged at 281 pence, valuing the business at 4.6 billion pounds. (Editing by David Evans)