It is fortunate that John Dixon, M&S's new head of food, spent two years of his career at the retailer shadowing Sir Stuart Rose - they will be working very closely with each other to reverse the company's declining fortunes.

Mr Dixon, aged 40, has long been seen as a "rising star" at M&S and, after spending two years as executive assistant shadowing Sir Stuart, he was been dubbed as the executive chairman's "right hand man".

Although Mr Dixon previous role was as head of Home and M&S Direct, its online business, he has spent the vast majority of his 22-year career at the company working in food.

Aged 18, Mr Dixon joined the retailer's store in Eastborne as part of the company's management trainee scheme.

Between 1986 and 1992, he moved through a number of stores both in the UK and internationally before joining M&S's head office where he became a food buyer. Mr Dixon was appointed as an executive in 2002 and two years later he was picked to be Sir Stuart's executive assistant.

Following today devastating profit warning, Mr Dixon will have to draw on all his experience at M&S to tempt cash-strapped customers back into the stores.

He will have a remit to examine adapting the company’s food offering for price conscious shoppers and to quicken the pace of change in the food division.

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