Former Marks & Spencer Chief Marc Bolland Appointed to Lead UK Youth Employment Push

The former chief executive of Marks & Spencer has been brought in by the UK government to tackle a youth employment crisis that threatens to create a "lost generation," with one million young people aged 16 to 24 currently out of education, employment, or training. Marc Bolland will lead a summit bringing together major business leaders to create pathways into work, with particular focus on disabled and disadvantaged young people.

The Scale of the Crisis

An interim government review by former health secretary Alan Milburn warned that the proportion of young people without employment, education, or training—known as Neets—could rise to 1.25 million by the 2030s without urgent intervention. Currently, this cohort represents approximately one in eight young people in Britain. The Milburn review found that six in 10 Neets have never held a job, though 84 percent of those surveyed expressed a desire for employment or training opportunities.

The challenge is particularly acute when compared internationally. The Netherlands has about 5 percent of 16- to 24-year-olds in similar circumstances, whereas Britain sits at approximately 12.5 percent—significantly higher than many developed nations. The economic cost of youth unemployment has been estimated at substantial figures, with the review emphasizing that "opportunities for too many young people are shrinking rather than growing."

Bolland's Role and Background

Bolland served as Marks & Spencer's chief executive from 2010 to 2016 and has also held senior leadership positions at Morrisons supermarket and served as chief operating officer at Heineken. He has been appointed as lead non-executive director at the Department for Work and Pensions, where he will work alongside Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary. A key component of his mandate involves collaborating with charities supporting disabled young people to ensure access to training and employment opportunities.

The government selected Bolland partly due to his existing involvement with youth employment through his charity Movement to Work, which he founded in 2012. The organization has already assisted more than 200,000 disadvantaged young people in securing employment. Following Milburn's report, the government announced that major UK businesses have committed to providing 300,000 work experience and training placements over the next three years.