Marks & Spencer has drafted in a new human resources director from fast-food specialist McDonald’s as it seeks to definitively transform its culture.

Harriet Hounsell will join M&S in October, replacing David Guise, and will aim to overhaul the retailer, which chair Archie Norman has described as “slow” and “resistant to change”, the Mail on Sunday reported.

Marks & Spencer told staff of the appointment on Friday in an email which said she will “help to accelerate our transformation programme”.

Norman and M&S chief executive Steve Rowe are in the midst of leading a revival programme at M&S but have come up against some resistance to change, despite tough trading.

The retailer’s latest annual report flagged “defensive” attitudes among middle management, which meant that efforts to turn the business around previously have “foundered on the rocks”.

Hounsell joins as further change looms at the top of M&S. Clothing boss Jill McDonald exited the retailer earlier this month after less than two years in the role and Rowe will take responsibility for the apparel division until a permanent replacement is found.

Her departure followed a failure to keep key lines such as denim on the shelves, leading to what Rowe described as the worst availability “I have ever seen in my life”.

The availability issues were said by sources close to M&S to be partly down to a lack of confidence among buyers, meaning they had not backed product sufficiently and bought in insufficient depth.

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