The Big Interview: New Look's COO on Migrating to SAP, Leaving IBM for Databricks and More...

Why It Matters

The dual COO/CIO role and tech overhaul give New Look a competitive edge in a data‑driven fashion market, enhancing agility and sustainability. It signals how traditional retailers must embed technology to stay relevant.

Key Takeaways

• New Look appoints Lynda Petherick as COO and CIO
• Migration to SAP core ERP underway
• Databricks replaces IBM for data platform
• $929M revenue reported for 2025
• Tech strategy now central to fashion transformation

Pulse Analysis

The fashion sector is undergoing a digital renaissance, with retailers turning to enterprise platforms to streamline operations and personalize experiences. New Look’s migration to SAP positions the company to unify finance, inventory, and omnichannel functions under a single, scalable architecture. SAP’s robust ERP capabilities enable real‑time visibility into supply‑chain bottlenecks, allowing the brand to respond swiftly to fast‑fashion cycles while supporting ESG reporting requirements.

Parallel to the ERP shift, New Look’s decision to replace IBM’s legacy data services with Databricks reflects a strategic move toward a lakehouse model that blends data warehousing and advanced analytics. Databricks’ unified data platform accelerates machine‑learning workloads, giving merchandisers deeper insights into consumer trends and inventory optimization. This transition also reduces infrastructure complexity and operational costs, freeing resources for sustainability initiatives such as carbon‑footprint tracking and responsible sourcing.

Together, these technology investments illustrate how traditional apparel companies are redefining their competitive advantage through data and cloud‑native solutions. By embedding tech leadership at the C‑suite level, New Look can align procurement, ESG, and customer‑experience goals with a single strategic vision. The company’s roadmap serves as a blueprint for peers seeking to harness technology as a core growth engine in an increasingly volatile retail landscape.