Building a career in International: Victoria Farrow

Career Journey

I’ve been at M&S for over a decade now, around 12–13 years, and over that time I’ve deliberately moved across the business to build my experience. I’ve always tried to be intentional with each move, thinking about what I can contribute but also what I can learn and how I can expand my skill set.

Most of my career has been rooted in buying, working across categories like lingerie, womenswear, home and menswear. I’d describe myself as a product person at heart. For me, the product is the business, it sits at the centre of everything we do, and I’ve always been driven by making it better and making sure it truly resonates with the customer. Alongside that, the customer has always been a constant thread. Understanding what they want, how they shop, and how we can entice them to choose M&S over competitors is what really motivates me.

Having been part of the transformation journey in Fashion, Home and Beauty, I’ve seen first-hand how powerful it is when you get the product and customer proposition right. That’s ultimately what led me to International, taking everything we’ve learned and applying it on a much bigger, global scale.

What Makes International Unique

What makes International unique is the scale of the opportunity and the ability to genuinely drive change. Within a large organisation, those opportunities don’t always come around, but International gives you the space to do things differently and move with a level of agility that’s harder to achieve elsewhere.

It also feels like a real moment in time. There’s alignment across the business around how important global growth is, and you can feel the momentum behind it. The brand is strong, the product is strong, and there’s clear demand in the markets. It’s not about figuring out if it will work, it’s about executing it well. You can genuinely feel the opportunity. It’s tangible and energising, and that creates a very different kind of environment to work in.

Skills & Growth

Working in International has stretched me significantly. Even with a strong understanding of Fashion, Home and Beauty, stepping into International has exposed me to so many more aspects of the business. It’s a true end-to-end view. I’m now involved in conversations around logistics, supply chain, warehousing, financial structures and partnerships, as well as continuing to focus on product and strategy.

It really does feel like every day is a learning opportunity, and that breadth has strengthened my overall understanding of retail and business. It’s also given me a new dimension to my skill set, one that will be increasingly important as global experience becomes more essential in the retail industry.

A Defining Moment

A defining moment for me was stepping outside of a traditional buying pathway to lead the relaunch of the Clothing and Home gift shop. It was a very different role with no established team, requiring me to build capability from scratch while managing a wide range of stakeholders. It was a real leap of faith, but it proved how transferable my skill set was and showed me that there are multiple ways to apply product and customer thinking across the business. I’m also incredibly proud of my role in the menswear transformation, seeing tangible growth, improved customer perception and real momentum build over time.

Impact

My current role in International has had a significant impact because we’ve been building capability from scratch. When I joined, there wasn’t really a dedicated buying function in place, so we’ve had to establish processes, define strategy and build a team. A key part of that has been bringing a stronger product and customer lens into International. Historically, we were quite removed from the end customer, but now we are much closer to the markets, understanding behaviour and competition in a much more meaningful way.

Culture & Ways of Working

The culture in International is fast-paced, dynamic and full of energy. There is a strong sense of shared purpose, with everyone aligned around making global growth happen, but it's also a very supportive environment where people are collaborative and open. Being surrounded by talented, driven individuals creates an atmosphere that pushes you to perform at your best.

Why International?

What keeps me here is the scale of the opportunity and the fact that there is still so much to do. It feels like a defining moment for the business, and being part of that journey is incredibly motivating. There is a real sense that the work we are doing now will shape the future of M&S International.

Advice for Future Talent

My advice would be to stay open and curious. Think about your skill set rather than just your job title, and be willing to apply it in different contexts. M&S offers a huge number of opportunities, but you need to actively seek them out, have conversations and be willing to step outside your comfort zone. International is a place where you can accelerate your development and gain experience that will be increasingly valuable in the future.

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See your future in International? Get in touch to find out more.