Next plc Unveils Boardroom Overhaul as Long-Serving Sales Chief Retires

Next plc ( (GB:NXT) ) has shared an announcement.

Next plc has announced a series of board changes, led by the retirement of long-serving Group Sales, Marketing and HR Director Jane Shields, who will step down from the board in May 2026 after a 40-year career with the business. Her operational responsibilities for e-commerce, brand marketing, retail stores and online customer services will transition largely to Matt Barnes, currently Online Customer Service Director, who is being promoted to Group Sales and Marketing Director but will not immediately join the board. The retailer is also refreshing its non-executive line-up, with Senior Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair Jonathan Bewes retiring from the board in May 2026, and the appointments of seasoned executives Annette Court and Jeni Mundy as independent non-executive directors in March and April 2026 respectively. Court will become Senior Independent Director and Soumen Das will take over as Audit Committee Chair from May 2026, moves that strengthen the board’s expertise in governance, technology, digital strategy and financial oversight and signal a planned transition that supports continuity of leadership and strategic direction for shareholders and other stakeholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (GB:NXT) stock is a Hold with a £14000.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Next plc stock, see the GB:NXT Stock Forecast page.

Spark’s Take on GB:NXT Stock

According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, GB:NXT is a Outperform.

Next plc’s strong financial performance and positive technical indicators are the primary drivers of its stock score. While the valuation is fair, recent corporate events provide a mixed impact, with positive actions like share acquisitions and land sales being offset by significant executive share sales.

To see Spark’s full report on GB:NXT stock, click here.

More about Next plc

Next plc is a UK-based retailer focused on clothing, footwear, accessories and home products, selling through a network of stores and a significant online platform. The company targets mainstream fashion consumers and leverages e-commerce, brand marketing and customer services to compete in the highly competitive high-street and digital retail markets.

Average Trading Volume: 372,410

Technical Sentiment Signal: Buy

Current Market Cap: £16.58B

See more insights into NXT stock on TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page.