Stuart Rose: Climbing rose

When it comes to retail recoveries, Stuart Rose has been there, done that and bought the fair-trade cotton T-shirt. He took the top spot at Marks & Spencer in 2004, when the UK retailer was struggling under tonnes of unwanted stock and a dearth of customers. Rose has tightened up the supply chain, expanded margins and, by last summer, had almost doubled M&S’s share price. He’s even received a knighthood for his troubles. But Sir Stuart faces a tough 2008. When M&S reports its Christmas trading ...