Jan 20 (Reuters) - Marks & Spencer's technology chief Josie Smith has left the British retailer less than a year after a cyberattack paralysed operations and cost about 300 million pounds in lost
M&S Announces Departure of Chief Technology Officer Josie Smith
M&S Leadership Changes and Cybersecurity Challenges
Jan 20 (Reuters) - Marks & Spencer's chief technology officer Josie Smith has left the business, the British clothing and food retailer said on Tuesday.
Impact of Cyberattack on Online Sales
Smith's departure comes less than a year after an April cyberattack paralysed M&S' online sales, costing about 300 million pounds ($404 million) in lost profit.
Recent Leadership Departures at M&S
"Josie Smith, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), has decided to leave M&S. We thank Josie for her significant contributions, and wish her well for the future," an M&S spokesperson said, confirming an earlier Sky News report.
M&S Performance During Holiday Season
Smith's departure comes four months after Rachel Higham quit as M&S' chief digital and technology officer. Smith previously reported to Higham.
Earlier this month, M&S reported strong demand for its food at Christmas but its shoppers spent less on fashion, home and beauty in its stores, with the firm partly blaming the lingering impact of the cyber hack.
($1 = 0.7422 pounds)
(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru and James Davey in London, Editing by Shilpi Majumdar, Kirsten Donovan)
