Specsavers appoint new chief information officer
John Lister has taken over the role as chief information officer at Specsavers, helping support rapid growth within the company.
Prior to his new appointment, Mr Lister worked for six years as CIO of BUPA. Before this he spent three years as European CIO of Tesco, where he was based in Prague and six years at ASDA. He has also worked abroad in the airline and financial services industry, including work in Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
‘I feel that my 20 years in retail and healthcare are extremely relevant to Specsavers,’ said Mr Lister. ‘I am delighted to be joining a company that is showing such a fantastic performance and great resilience in the current recession. The pace of growth is very rewarding and the role of systems is critical for future success.’
Mr Lister, who is a passionate and talented drummer, has moved to the island with his wife. They have two grown-up daughters, one in her final year at medical school and one working for BUPA as an HR advisor.
Mr Lister adds: ‘Guernsey is a beautiful island with a fantastic quality of life and easy connections to the south of England where I have family links. I look forward to making a contribution to the local community.’
He has taken over the role from Michel Khan, who has been with Specsavers for more than 12 years. Mr Khan will be enjoying his retirement in Guernsey, while continuing to play an active role in the business world through a variety of consultancy opportunities.