Current CEO Helen Connolly, who took the role in June 2022, will remain with New Look until September 2026 to support a handover.
Petherick joined New Look in 2024 as chief information officer and was promoted to chief operating officer in 2025. She has led the company’s digital transformation efforts and played a significant role in operational improvements, according to the retailer.
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Before joining New Look, Petherick held the role of managing director at Accenture, overseeing the retail and fashion advisory division for the UK and Ireland.
Between November 2022 and January 2026, she also sat on the Board of the British Fashion Council, leading sustainability projects such as the Circular Fashion Innovation Network.
Petherick said: “New Look is a fantastic brand, with a clear position in the market, millions of loyal customers and talented colleagues who care passionately about its success. Over the past two years, we have made significant progress in strengthening the business and becoming a faster, more data-led and customer-focused organisation.
“It is a privilege to be appointed Chief Executive. I am excited about what New Look can achieve and look forward to working with our brilliant teams to build on the strong progress already made and deliver the next phase of sustainable, profitable growth.”
Business and strategic update
The timing of the leadership change follows a notable uptick in profitability for the business. New Look reported an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of £36.6m ($49.2m) for the 2026 financial year, more than doubling its performance from the previous year.
This improvement, based on tighter margin management and greater cost control, represents a departure from extended financial difficulty for the retailer in previous years.
In the most recent quarter, EBITDA climbed to £17.4m, £1.8m above the same period last year.
Digital initiatives have become central to New Look’s operations, with around 40% of group revenue now generated online, the company said.
Alongside its 309-store estate, the retailer claims to hold the third-largest share of the UK online women’s fashion market and ranks fourth among omni-channel fashion retailers.
The company’s first loyalty programme, Club New Look, has also surpassed one million members, with participating customers identified as more frequent and higher-spending shoppers.
The retailer aims to deepen multi-channel engagement by building upon this programme in-store, online, and via its app.
New Look said its recent refinancing, which extends key loan maturities to 2029, will provide flexibility for future investments in digital, stores, and operational improvements.
New Look chairman Mike Coupe said: “New Look is in a stronger position than it has been for many years. The strength of our FY 2026 outturn, together with our first quarter performance, positive customer response to our product and the continued growth of Club New Look, demonstrates the momentum across the business. These achievements reflect the hard work and dedication of colleagues across New Look, the strength of our leadership team and the discipline with which the business has executed its strategy.”
“With Lynda as Chief Executive, a strong platform in place and clear momentum in our customer proposition, New Look is well positioned to build on its progress and realise the significant opportunity ahead.”
