M&S: Runners and riders to replace Rose

Is this the next chief executive of Marks & Spencer? Charlie Mayfield, the current managing director of the John Lewis Partnership, has emerged as one of the favourites in the race to replace Sir Stuart Rose. Mayfield is “the best candidate of the lot”, according to veteran City analyst David Buik who rates him as a 3-1 shot. Mayfield has run John Lewis since 2005, enjoying a strong run of success until the recession hit, eating into profits and the famous staff bonuses. “Can he be persuaded to leave his pot of gold at John Lewis which is doing so well against most of the street or would it be just a financial bridge too far?” asked Buik Photograph: Linda Nylind/Guardian

Asda chief executive Andy Bond is also seen as a credible choice, rated at 3-1 by Buik’s BGC Partners. Having run the George clothing chain, he’s got the experience needed to follow Rose. With Wal-Mart’s backing, Asda is even outpacing the discount supermarkets for sales growth. But he has dampened expectations by saying he is “genuinely not interested” in Rose’s job Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian

Morrison’s chief executive Marc Bolland is also in with a shout, at 4-1. But insiders have suggested he is unlikely to leap from Morrisons while only part way through his task of putting the UK’s fourth largest supermarket back on track after five profit warnings earlier this decade. With an extra million shoppers a week compared with two years ago, he’s already made significant progress Photograph: Ian Nicholson/PA

Another supermarket boss in the running is Justin King of J Sainsbury, at 5-1. As a former M&S head of food, he developed its successful Simply Food brand, and the chief executive’s chair would be a tempting target. King has won City plaudits for his work turning Sainsbury’s around - with current sales growth outpacing Tesco. City analyst Nick Bubb has even speculated that M&S and Sainsbury’s could merge to create a middle-class food titan. But while King even once joked about wearing M&S underwear, he appeared to rule himself out recently. However … Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian

M&S’s head of food, John Dixon, is one of three internal candidates who might replace Rose. He started his current job a year ago after Steven Esom was forced out, and has posted three consecutive quarters of improved performance - luring shoppers back into the food aisles. Has been called Rose’s ‘right-hand man’, having shadowed him earlier in his career, and Buik makes him a joint favourite at 3-1 Photograph: Mike Abrahams/PR

Ian Dyson, chief financial offer, is another option (5-1) if M&S decides to appoint inhouse. His credentials were boosted when he was put in charge of the retailer’s “2020 - Doing the Right Thing” strategic review. But there is opposition in the City to an inhouse candidate, following the unhappiness about Rose making himself executive chairman Photograph: PR

Rose expects to stay on as non-executive chairman once a chief executive is on board, but he will eventually have to end the chairmanship as well. Allan Leighton (pictured) and Archie Norman have both told friends they might be interested in the role. Leighton stepped down as chairman of Royal Mail earlier this year, and is rated as one of the UK's best managers Photograph: Linda Nylind/Guardian

Archie Norman is another retail titan. He led the turnaround of Asda in the 1990s with Leighton – where they also worked with Justin King. He has long been linked with a position on the M&S board Photograph: Chris Ison/PA

The Rose succession turned thorny last month when deputy chairman Sir David Michels said he was interested in taking the top job. He reportedly has the support of some major shareholders, but Rose gave the idea a cool reception, describing Michels merely as 'a credible candidate' Photograph: Mike Ellis/PR