Retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) appointed Terry Burns as chairman today to replace Paul Myners with effect from July next year.
Senior non-executive director Kevin Lomax has been openly looking for a replacement for Mr Myners for several months.
He appears to have emerged victorous despite the support of major shareholders for the team of Mr Myners and chief executive Stuart Rose in their bid to turn around the battered retailer.
The arguments between the Mr Lomax and Mr Myners have reportedly split the M&S board down the middle.
Some media commentators had called on Mr Lomax to quit M&S and concentrate on Misys, the software company he founded in 1979.
Mr Burns, chairman of Abbey National and Welsh Water, will join the M&S board as deputy chairman with effect from October 1st and will become chairman at the 2006 AGM. Mr Myners will leave the board at the same time.