The retail giant has also recently warned of potential job cuts and told staff it would not hand out a bonus for only the second time since 1953. In her open letter, addressed to chairman Sharon White and chief executive Nish Kankiwala, Ms Portas wrote: “You are not simply chair and chief exec. You are custodians of one of the most valued, loved and trusted retail brands this country has.” “John Lewis and Waitrose are part of the fabric of everyday British life,” she continued.