John Lewis boss Dame Sharon White has survived a vote of confidence, along with her plan to diversify into build-to-rent.
The chair of the John Lewis Partnership pledged yesterday that the retailer would “always be employee-owned” after votes by the partnership council supported her approach, but criticised recent losses.
White said there was “absolutely no question of demutualisation”. However, she added that “if at any point the partnership were unable to fund our [turnround] plan through our own means”, by selling assets and expanding into build-to-rent, the board could “consider external investment”.
