No third Dutch store for Marks & Spencer

More focus on margins

“We are very happy with the store in The Hague. Holiday sales are particularly high, well above expectations. We are also looking forward to our store opening at Rokin, but that will be our last”, he said in an interview with De Telegraaf.

He is content that the company is finally back on track and that the criticism he has had to endure, is finally subsiding as well. “When I took charge, there was no market information, no computer system that clearly told us what we were selling and what wasn’t selling at all. That system has taken years to develop. It was a lot faster for our supermarkets, but now I can at least see what we sold and where. It may be expensive, but it is crucial for our long-term viability.”

He also said he was not going to comment on rumours he would want to leave Marks & Spencer after 5 years at the helm. “A lot has been written and said about that subject and I am the last to contribute to that conversation. All I can say is that I am feeling fine where I am.”