Marks & Spencer technology chief exits months after cyber attack

A new report has suggested that Josie Smith, Marks & Spencer’s chief technology officer, has exited the British retailer. Her departure comes months after the company faced a cyber attack that impacted operations businesswide.

A memo seen and reported on by Sky News said Smith had “decided to leave M&S”, a statement that was then confirmed to the media outlet by a spokesperson for the retailer. Smith, who first joined Marks & Spencer 18 months ago, will be succeeded by Darren Gibson, the fashion, home and beauty technology transformation director.

During her time at the company, Marks & Spencer was among a number of fashion retailers facing a cyber attack that brought its online operations to a standstill. The impact of the incident shed 1.2 million pounds off the retailer’s market value and resulted in a 300 million pound profit reduction for the year ended March 29, 2025.

Smith’s departure was announced alongside the exit of Krista Nordlund, Marks & Spencer’s chief product officer, who is due to step down in July, the internal memo reported.