Marks & Spencer snaps up new clothing directors

Jill Stanton, formerly executive vice-president at Old Navy, will run the newly-merged women’s and kidswear departments, while Wes Taylor, previously managing director at Arcadia’s Burton, will oversee menswear.

Stanton will start at the retailer in July. She acted as interim president during Old Navy’s turnaround programme and has previously worked for Nike, where she was responsible for clothing globally, and Next.

Taylor will begin at M&S in May, having spent 11 years at Burton under Sir Philip Green.

Team restructure

Head of lingerie Laura Charles will be promoted to the new position of lingerie director while Neil Harrison will take responsibility for beauty alongside his current role leading home.

Current menswear and kidswear director Michael Kerr will exit the business, as will womenswear and lingerie design director Queralt Ferrer, who is leaving the business in July to relocate to Amsterdam with her family.

Belinda Earl will hand her interim responsibilities as womenswear head to Stanton but will continue as an adviser to the business.

Clothing and home boss Jill McDonald said: “M&S Clothing is transforming. We’re crystal clear on the challenge. We must become more relevant to more people offering the right products at the right prices to appeal to our core customers and attract new ones.

“Jill and Wes are highly impressive retailers with strong track records of success at other high-profile brands and will bring this invaluable experience to M&S. We now have the right leadership team in place to get on and deliver change.”

Stanton and Taylor are the latest in a series of M&S appointments. Last week, M&S hired Steinhoff UK boss Stuart Machin to head up its food division. As revealed by Retail Week, M&S boss Steve Rowe has also hired a raft of external advisers including supply chain guru Lawrence Christensen and Richer Sounds founder Julian Richer, who advises on workplace culture.