Charles Mayfield

Sir Andrew Charles Mayfieldis a British businessman. He was Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership from 2007 to 2020, and was also Chairman of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills until its closure in March 2017. He previously served in the British Army as an officer.

Career

Military career

Mayfield graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1986, winning the Sword of Honour as the best cadet on his course. On 12 April 1986, he was commissioned into the Scots Guards, British Army, as a second lieutenant. He was given the service number 523391. On 12 April 1988, he was promoted to lieutenant. During his career he served in Northern Ireland amid The Troubles. He was 19 when he was first posted there.

He retired from the British Army on 30 September 1991.

Business career

In 1992, Mayfield graduated from the Cranfield School of Management with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

He joined SmithKline Beecham as assistant product manager of Instant Horlicks. He was later promoted to Marketing Manager for the Lucozade sports drink brand.

In 1996, he joined McKinsey & Company as a management consultant. During his time there, he worked with consumer and retail organisations.

In 2000, he joined the John Lewis Partnership as head of business development. He was appointed to the Board one year later as Development Director. He was appointed managing director of John Lewis in 2005. In 2007, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership. In March 2007, he became the fifth Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership.

in November 2010, Mayfield was appointed to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, a non-departmental public body, as Chairman. This post dissolved in March 2017 with the closure of the Commission.

On 7 November 2018, Mayfield announced that he would be stepping down as Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership. He was succeeded by Sharon White at a meeting of the John Lewis Partnership Council on 4 February 2020.