M&S ditches IT service desk tie up with TCS following high profile cyber attack on UK retailer

Marks and Spencer has called time on a contract with Tata Consultancy Services to run its IT service desk.

This closely follows on from the Indian provider conducting an internal investigation over being the origin of a cyber attack that hit the UK retailer’s systems at a cost of hundreds of millions of pounds.

“TCS provides a number of technology and IT services for M&S and we value our partnership with the TCS team,” M&S said in a statement.  “Regarding the IT service desk contract specifically, as is usual process, we went to market to test for the most suitable product available, ran a thorough process and instructed a new provider this summer.”

“This process started in January and this change has no bearing on our wider TCS relationship,” it added. 

TCS claimed that the termination and the cyber attack were “clearly unrelated”. M&S had followed a regular competitive procurement process initiated in January, and chose another service provider “much prior to the cyber incident in April”, it said in a statement.

Rachel Higham

Last month, it emerged that M&S Chief Digital and Technology Officer Rachel Higham was leaving the retailer in the wake of the aforementioned cyber attack.

Conducted by a group called Scattered Spider, this brought its online operations to a halt and resulted in empty shelves in stores.

A former WPP and BT Group executive, Higham was appointed by M&S in 2014. In an internal memo, it said she was "stepping back from her role…Rachel has been a steady hand and calm head at an extraordinary time for the business, and we wish her well for the future.”

At the time of the appointment, Stuart Machine, M&S Chief Executive, said that Higham joining the business, along with Mark Lemming becoming International Managing Director, “reflected the importance of Digital & Technology and capital light International growth to the next phase of our transformation. As I set out at our recent Capital Markets Day, we have more to do in both of these areas and so much opportunity.”

He added: “Rachel and Mark are fantastic additions to our executive team and I am confident that, with their leadership, we will accelerate the pace of change in the business as we reshape M&S for growth.”

Higham, meanwhile, commented: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Stuart Machin and the executive team at M&S at such an exciting time on their journey to reshape M&S for growth.”

Sources said that she was taking a career break. Operations Director Sacha Berendji, who has been Chief Recovery Officer since the cyber attack, has taken over her responsibilities.