Kingfisher poaches M&S Plan A chief to lead on Net Positive

In his new post, Gillies will lead on Kingfisher’s Net Positive programme to drive greater sustainability around timber, energy, innovation and communities. He will also be responsible for government affairs and will report to Kingfisher’s chief executive, Ian Cheshire.

Kingfisher’s Net Positive plan launched in 2012 and is similar in scope to Marks & Spencer’s Plan A in terms of being a far-reaching retail sustainability strategy.

Recently the company revealed it was looking to step up product innovation by developing ‘closed loop’ power tools as part of a wider strategy to create 1,000 products formed from closed loop processes by 2020.

A Kingfisher spokesperson said: “Kingfisher has a strong heritage on sustainability issues and Richard will help us to drive forward our Net Positive with our colleagues, our customers and our external partners.”

Gillies has been director of Plan A at M&S since it was created in 2007. Mike Barry, currently head of sustainable business at M&S, will replace Gillies in October.

Commenting on the move, an M&S spokesperson told edie: “We are delighted to confirm that Mike Barry has been promoted to the position of Director of Plan A from the 1st October 2013. Mike has been Head of Plan A since its conception in 2007 and has worked for M&S’s sustainability team since April 2000.

“We’d like to thank Richard for his significant contribution over the last 29 years and wish him all the best for the future.”

Maxine Perella