Peter Ruis is stepping down as managing director of the John Lewis Partnership to pursue new projects, the employee-owned retailer has announced.
Will Kernan (pictured right), a non-executive board member, will move across to take on the role as part of an orderly succession plan, the partnership adds.
Ruis (pictured left) had returned to John Lewis in January 2024, after a number of retail leadership roles, having previously been with the retailer for nine years – latterly as buying and brand director.
John Lewis said he has led a “significant modernisation” of the brand, reimagining the 100-year promise Never Knowingly Undersold and overseeing transformational store investment, most recently with the renovation of Glasgow.
He also attracted “exciting brands” and developed new propositions, with the launch of Topshop, the Platter restaurant and Sports assortment. And there were “significant changes to our digital platform and search capability” and achieving record customer satisfaction.
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“After nearly three years of significant investment and modernisation, the business is now on a much stronger footing,” said Ruis. “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved, and there is so much more still to come. I would like to thank our customers, Partners, brands and suppliers for their incredible support and I wish Will the best of luck as he takes up the reins.”
Kernan has held several senior retail leadership positions over a 35-year career. He has served as CEO of River Island, the White Company, Wiggle and had a thirteen-year tenure at New Look, holding various roles ranging from group financial director to group trading director, COO and group managing director.
Most recently, he has been chair of Neptune, supporting the high-end furniture and kitchen retailer’s transformation. He joined the John Lewis board as a non-executive director in 2023.
“Having served on the Partnership’s board for three years, I have a clear understanding of the John Lewis business and a huge appreciation for the partnership’s values and employee-ownership model,” he said. “We have significant headroom for growth and I’m looking forward to leading the team to ensure John Lewis remains the country’s most trusted and loved retailer, in store and online.”
John Lewis chair Jason Tarry said: “Peter has done a fantastic job and will be missed by all of our Partners. He’s injected energy and pace into the John Lewis transformation and we are sad to see him go.
“Will is perfectly placed to take John Lewis on to the next phase of development and growth. I’m pleased that we’ve been able to oversee an orderly succession with Will who knows John Lewis and the team incredibly well from his time on the partnership’s board.”
Ruis will remain with the business until 6 September, with Kernan taking over in mid-September, to be in place for the peak trading period.
The partnership will now undertake a process to appoint Kernan’s successor as a non-executive director to the board.
