Partnership Board

Charlie Mayfield became the Partnership's fifth Chairman in March 2007. He joined the Partnership in 2000 as Head of Business Development, responsible for business strategy and development for both John Lewis and Waitrose. Charlie joined the Board as Development Director in 2001 and was responsible for developing the Partnership's online strategy. He became Managing Director of John Lewis in January 2005 prior to taking up his appointment as Chairman of the Partnership in March 2007.

Charlie began his career as an officer in the army. He joined SmithKline Beecham in 1992 and became Marketing Manager for the Lucozade brand, before moving to McKinsey & Co in 1996, where he worked with consumer and retail organisations.

Charlie is a Government appointed Commissioner of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and chairs Business in the Community's Business Action on Economic Renewal Leadership Team. In June 2011 he became President of the Employee Ownership Association.

David joined the Partnership Board as non-executive director in February 2011, sitting on both the audit and nominations committees. David has extensive experience in financial services, spending more than five years as Chief Executive of Co-operative Financial Services (CFS), leading its merger with Britannia Building Society. He is currently a non-executive director of NFU Mutual Insurance Society, Chairman of the think tank Mutuo and Chairman of the newly formed Reclaim Fund.

David took up the post of Non-executive Deputy Chairman in March 2007. He is also the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee.

David has spent most of his career in investment banking. He started out in the Civil Service, and then became Head of Corporate Finance for NatWest Markets. He then moved to Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein where he rose to become Vice Chairman. He is also a non-executive director of VT Group plc and Wessex Water Services Limited.

Marisa, joined the Partnership in June 2006 following five years as Group Finance Director at The Royal Mail where she played an instrumental role in guiding the company through its renewal programme. Marisa brings with her a wealth of experience having previously been Group Finance Director at Britannic Assurance plc from 1998 to 2001 and Group Finance Director of Prudential's UK division between 1994 and 1998.

A qualified chartered accountant since 1975. She was appointed non-executive Director of GFI in 2005, a company listed on NYSE where she chairs their audit committee. From 2006-2010 with WSP Group, where she also chaired their audit committee. Marisa also sat until vey recently on the Accounting Standards Board and is a Governor of the Peabody Trust.

Steve joined the Partnership in 1996 as a Management Trainee for Waitrose. His training took him to branches in Petersfield and Godalming and was subsequently appointed as Department Manager to Waitrose West Byfleet.

Steve managed branches in Coulsdon and Weybridge before being appointed as Branch Manager at Waitrose Cirencester. Whilst at Cirencester Steve has completed several secondment roles, including managing Waitrose Barry and Waitrose Buxton following their acquisition to Waitrose and most recently as the Registrar for Group L.

Steve's active involvement in the democratic structure began in 2009 when he was elected as one of the Partnership Councillors for Waitrose Group G. Steve joined the Board in May 2012 and sits on the Remuneration Committee and Chairman's Nominations Committee.

Sarah joined the Partnership Board as non-executive director in February 2011, also sitting on the remuneration committee. Sarah has worked at a high level in business, government and media. She is currently Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council, and Chairman of Frontier Economics. She is also a Senior Independent Director of the BG Group, and a Senior Adviser to the FSA. Sarah is also lead independent director of HM Treasury and was head of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit from 1990-1995. She was created a Life Peer in the 1995 New Year's Honours List.

As Director of Personnel, Tracey Killen is responsible for all areas of personnel policy within the Partnership, including the identification and development of future talent.

Tracey joined the Partnership as an 'A' Level Trainee at John Lewis Bristol in 1982. She was appointed Department Manager, Stationery, in 1988 before moving to perfumery the following year. She became Staff Manager in 1992, and in 1995 transferred to John Lewis High Wycombe as Merchandise Manager. Later that year she was appointed General Manager, John Lewis Bristol and became General Manager John Lewis Cribbs Causeway in 1998. Tracey was promoted to Managing Director, John Lewis Cribbs Causeway in 2000 and became Personnel Director in July 2002. She took up her appointment as the Partnership's Director of Personnel in April 2007.

Patrick's first job was Associate Consultant with Bain & Company, later becoming 'Promoted Consultant'. He then became Finance Manager at Proctor and Gamble before joining the Partnership in 1994 at John Lewis High Wycombe. The following year he transferred to Peter Jones to manage Gift and Pictures and later that year moved to John Lewis Welwyn. He was appointed Merchandise Manager in 1996 and in 1997 became acting General Manager at John Lewis Watford. He then became Managing Director, George Henry Lee in 1998, and Cheadle in 2000. Patrick became Project Director, Simplification in April 2002 and then Supply Chain Director (John Lewis) in December of the same year. He took up the post of Director, Retail Operations in April 2007 and was appointed to his current position in February 2009.

Kim Lowe joined the Partnership in 1982 as a Selling Assistant at John Lewis Nottingham, where she served in a number of roles. In 1989 she moved to John Lewis Aberdeen as Department Manager, Perfumery. She was appointed Assistant General Manager in 2001 and Operations Selling Manager in 2004. In 2007 she was promoted to General Manager, John Lewis Aberdeen.

Kim has been a Partnership Councillor since 2005, having previously served as a Branch Councillor at John Lewis Aberdeen. She was elected to the Partnership Board in 2007 and sits on the Remuneration Committee.

Kevin  joined the Partnership in 1984 as a supermarket assistant at Waitrose Woodley, later becoming section manager in Sunningdale. He moved into Distribution in 1994 as a manager in the Fresh Food Warehouse at Bracknell. In 2009 Kevin moved into the Supply Chain team as a Project Manager, forming part of the team responsible for opening the new chilled Warehouse, and then become Waitrose Contract Manger in 2010, managing Waitrose Bonded Goods and Channel Islands Supply Chains.

Throughout the last 6 years Kevin has been an elected councillor and committee member representing Supply Chain at a Divisional and Partnership level. Kevin has also chaired the 'Profit' group from 2010 until 2012. He was elected to the Board in May 2012.

Responsible for overall management of Waitrose.

Mark joined the John Lewis Partnership in 1982 as a graduate trainee. He held numerous posts before becoming Managing Director of Waitrose in April 2007. Prior to this, in 2005 Mark was appointed the as the Partnership Development Director (responsible for Strategy amongst other things) when he became a member of the Partnership Board. In January 2011 Mark became Chairman of Business in the Community, a post he will hold for three years. He is also Chairman of the Prince's Countryside Fund and an NED for Channel 4.

Noel joined the Partnership in 1979 as a cashier in the Partner's Dining Room at Peter Jones, later becoming a section manager at Peter Jones. Noel then went on to work in 13 different branches around the country, including a  period helping with the opening of the Partnership's first Waitrose, Food&Home. Noel has enjoyed a variety of different roles including selling managerships in three different locations, merchandise and project management roles. Noel has been managing director of five department stores, including our flagship branch, John Lewis Oxford Street. He is currently managing director, Stratford City, the Partnership's newest shop in London's East End and the gateway to the Olympic Park and London 2012. Noel has also taken on additional roles, including Chairmanship of Bluewater Retailer's Association and Chairman of the Operating Board of the New West End Company.

Noel joined the Board in May 2012 and sits on the Chairman's Nominations Committee.

Dan joined the Partnership in November 2004 as a selling Partner at John Lewis Kingston and was voted on to the Branch Council in 2005. In 2007 and 2009 Dan was elected to the Partnership Council where he served on the Council's Profit Group and Pension Committees.

Before joining the Partnership Dan's career spanned marketing, research, strategy and business development in the UK, Europe and Jamaica. He held positions with Thomas Cook and with Nabisco Del Monte and ran his own consulting business for fifteen years.

Dan joined the Board in May 2012 and sits on the Audit and Risk Committee.

Responsible for all activities within John Lewis.

Andy has spent all his working life in the John Lewis Partnership, joining after graduating from Oxford with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics in 1985.  After initial postings in  department stores, head office and manufacturing units, he became Managing Director, John Lewis Milton Keynes in 1993.  He moved to Bluewater in 1998, and in 2000 to Head Office as Supply Chain Director, John Lewis. He was appointed to the Partnership Board as Director of Personnel in 2002.   In that role he was responsible for all areas of personnel policy within the Partnership.

In February 2007 Andy became Managing Director of the John Lewis Division, responsible for all activities within John Lewis.

Andy is also Vice Chairman of Performances Birmingham Limited, the Board of Trustees responsible for running the City's Symphony and Town Halls. He is also on the Board of London First, a member of the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group and is Chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).