Youngster head of rejuvenated M&S

WHEN Roger Holmes was plucked from the obscurity of Kingfisher to become heir apparent at M&S, he had to endure the now-traditional trial by City profile writer.

He did not emerge well from those early interviews. Dubbed a 'cold fish' and judged to be lacking in charisma, he was unable to reel off the vital statistics of the average M&S customer (Size 16 and 38-31 1/2-41 for those interested in such things) although he gained points for wearing an M&S suit and admitting that his wife, student sweetheart Kate, sometimes wore M&S knickers.

As few in the City knew him, his appointment was given a lukewarm reception. But the first clues to his talent came in the bad-tempered reaction of Kingfisher's Sir Geoff Mulcahy when Holmes handed in his notice. Indeed, so upset was Mulcahy - and those early City profiles, conducted in Kingfisher time, did not help - that he initially threatened to hold Holmes to a very long notice period. Although Mulcahy had been keeping it quiet (no change there) he had secretly been lining up the new M&S man as his own heir apparent.

So the City began to view Holmes with rather more respect - and that has gathered pace over the past year. Quiet and rather serious, there were fears that he might lack the retail flair required to restore M&S's fortunes - but it is he, rather than Luc Vandevelde, who is credited with bringing in fashion guru George Davies to create the successful Per Una clothing range.

Insiders say that while 'Cool hand Luc' has been doling out the soundbites and spreading the charisma, Holmes has effectively been running the company for the past 12 months. Vandevelde today paid tribute to Holmes's work, saying he had been absolutely crucial in the recovery.

Trained as an accountant, he is also an ex-McKinsey man and his current £450,000 base salary will be increased to £600,000 when he takes the top job on 1 September. At 42, he will be one of the youngest chief executives of a Footsie company and should have the stamina to take the company through its next stage of recovery.