M&S hires overseas retail chief
MARKS & Spencer (M&S) has poached Jan Heere from Spanish fashion group Inditex to lead its drive for business overseas.
The clothing, homewares and food retailer yesterday named Heere as its new director of international, reporting to chief executive Marc Bolland. It said Heere, fluent in English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Russian, has worked for Inditex in a variety of international roles, most recently in Russia.
Last November Bolland set out plans to grow M&S’ overseas business with a view to becoming a multi-channel international retailer by 2015, growing sales, excluding Ireland, from about £500m this year to £800m-£1bn by 2013-14.
Emerging markets in India and China are seen as key to achieving that goal.
Heere’s appointment comes two weeks after M&S poached Laura Wade-Gery from supermarket group Tesco to head its internet business, underscoring Bolland’s commitment to also grow sales online.