The major question mark over Mr Bolland's appointment is whether he understands the non-food segment sufficiently. However, he managed the transition from a branded goods, manufacturing world at Heineken into retail, as well as moving from a European base to the UK seamlessly, therefore Marks & Spencer's non-food should not be more of a challenge for him than for anyone else. Furthermore, his experience in branding should prove an asset in developing the retailer's sub-brands, which Verdict believes do not currently communicate clear messages to customers. This, combined with his international outlook, will be useful in expanding the Marks & Spencer brand beyond the UK.

That said, whoever takes over at Marks & Spencer has a challenge on their hands. The company is facing ever intensifying competition in the UK, which accounts for the majority of its sales. There is also a significant threat from the John Lewis Partnership: a fast-expanding Waitrose is appealing to Marks & Spencer's food customers, and the John Lewis department store division is attracting more and more of its home and clothing customers. However, if Marc Bolland can build consistent sales and profit increases in the UK, he would be considered a success.

Source: Verdict Research

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Mr Bolland joined Morrisons in September 2006 as CEO. Prior to that, he was COO and executive board member at Heineken, based in the Netherlands. He is also currently a nonexecutive director of Manpower in the US.

Mr Rose said: "I am delighted that Marc is to be Marks & Spencer's next CEO. He brings a wealth of consumer marketing experience and has made a great success of his time at Morrisons. We very much look forward to welcoming him and working together."

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Marks & Spencer has 20 stores across the Republic of Ireland currently with a total workforce of 3,000 people.

Jonathan Smith, Marks & Spencer's Ireland chief, was quoted by The Irish Times as saying: "It is an indicator of a long-term strategy, despite the economic difficulties at the moment. Marks & Spencer is a popular brand. Our food business is very different from other supermarkets. It will bring something different and exciting to the center."

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Operating profit for the first six months of 2009 was GBP373.4 million, compared to GBP382.4 million for the corresponding period of 2008.

Profit on ordinary activities before taxation for the first six months ended September 26, 2009 was GBP306.7 million, compared to GBP307.8 million, for the prior-year period.

Stuart Rose, chairman of Marks & Spencer, said: "We are pleased with our first half performance. Our strong customer offer, together with tight management of costs and margin, has allowed us to report a profit slightly ahead of last year, despite a challenging economic environment. We increased our share of the clothing market over the period, and our performance in Food has also improved."

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