Shop Direct has reshuffled its product top team, promoting its group merchandising director to group product director as its group fashion director exits the business.

Group merchandising director Sam Perkins will take over from Matt Dixon as group product director, gaining a seat on the executive board.

Dixon is leaving the business in April to spend time with his family before exploring new opportunities.

Perkins joined Shop Direct three years ago from Tesco, where he was commercial director.

Group fashion director Zoe Matthews will leave the business in the summer to become vice-president of the George brand at Asda/Walmart. She joined the business in 2014 from Gap, where she was European buying director.

Interim group chief executive Derek Harding said: “[Sam has] proved to be an inspirational and innovative leader, who’s already made a big difference at Shop Direct. We’re confident that he’s the right person to head up our product team – where we have big opportunities in data-driven pricing and trialling new stockless technology – through the next phase of our transformation.”

Shop Direct is going through a period of transition as it hunts for a permanent chief executive following the departure of Alex Baldock, who is taking over from Seb James as Dixons Carphone boss.

It has suffered an exodus of senior talent in recent months, including chief information officer Andy Wolfe and head of digital transformation Paul Hornby.

Despite this, it posted a strong Christmas trading update with a 6.3% uptick in group sales during the seven weeks to December 22, 2017.

The group said performance was driven by its largest brand, Very, which posted a 16.8% jump in revenues year on year. Very’s success offset a 12.6% slump in sales at stablemate Littlewoods.

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