M&S tech chief leaves months after cyberattack cost it £300m

The Marks & Spencer (M&S) enforcement liable for its exertion relation is leaving the retailer months aft a devastating cyber onslaught which disrupted its systems astatine a outgo of hundreds of millions of pounds.

Sky News has learnt that Rachel Higham, M&S's main integer and exertion officer, is leaving the company.

A erstwhile WPP and BT Group executive, Ms Higham was hired by M&S aboriginal past year.

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Her departure was announced successful an interior memo circulated connected Thursday.

In it, the institution said she was "stepping backmost from her role".

"Rachel has been a dependable manus and calm caput astatine an bonzer clip for the business, and we privation her good for the future".

The April cyberattack connected M&S, which was conducted by a radical called Scattered Spider, brought its online operations to a halt, underlining the increasing menace posed by specified incidents.

Its click-and-collect work is present backmost up and running, and the retailer expects portion of its costs to beryllium covered by insurance.

M&S said aboriginal past period that it was not looking to regenerate Ms Higham pursuing an enquiry from Sky News.

It was unclear who would win her successful the relation oregon whether she would beryllium eligible for a payoff.

An M&S spokeswoman confirmed connected Thursday that the memo was genuine but refused to remark further.