And outgoing Marks and Spencer boss Sir Stuart Rose has said the government had taken "very sensible action".

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But so it was on July 14th when Sir Stuart Rose, the outgoing executive chairman, faced searching questions at the company's annual general meeting (AGM).

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Some 500 business chiefs - including Lord Wolfson of Next and Sir Stuart Rose of Ocado - have signed a letter in Monday's newspapers backing the plan.

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Sir Stuart Rose is also big on life experience.

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Stuart Rose, the Arcadia executive who approved the deal, doesn't question the fairness of Green's buyout offer, but notes that not all of Green's turnarounds come from better efficiencies.

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"One big word tends to get in the way of anyone successful in the U.K., " says Stuart Rose, a seasoned retail executive who stewarded the sale of Arcadia to Green.

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Ipswich's two town centre shopping centres have empty units, the former civic centre site is still undeveloped and Sir Stuart Rose, the former chairman of Marks and Spencer, has offered his input into revitalising the town centre.

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