The chief executive officer (CEO) at the John Lewis Partnership (JLP), Nish Kankiwala, will return to the role of non-executive, as part of an "ongoing transformation" at the firm.

Kankiwala will start in this role by March 2025, supporting JLP’s chairman, Jason Tarry, and the partnership board.

The firm said that "reflecting the significant progression" of the transformation, especially over the past two years and the change in the operating model, the role of CEO will not be directly replaced.

The move comes as JLP said that it improved its cash flow and returned to full-year profit.

Kankiwala said: “The board asked me to move across from my non-executive director role to CEO back in March 2023. This was in view of such a significant time for the partnership and to help accelerate this phase of the transformation. I was delighted to agree to take on the role for a two-year period during this time of pivotal change.

"I have every confidence in Jason taking the partnership from strength to strength in the next phase of our transformation and am delighted to continue to support him and the board in an advisory capacity going forward."

Head of money and markets, Susannah Streeter, added: "The brief CEO position was indicative of the ‘special measures’ which had to be put in place at John Lewis, given the organisation was haemorrhaging cash.

"As red warning lights have stopped flashing, the partnership has found itself back in the green. It recorded pre-tax profit of £42m for the year to March and is on track for profits to be significantly higher for this year. The abolition of the position of CEO also bolsters the partnership model concept at John Lewis."

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