Shop Direct promotes Sam Perkins to Group Product Director

Shop Direct has promoted group merchandising director Sam Perkins to the executive board in the role of new Group Product Director. The company said, Perkins replaces current group product director and executive board member Matt Dixon, who is leaving the business on April 6, 2018.

Commenting on the development, Derek Harding, interim group CEO at Shop Direct, said in a statement: ““We’re delighted to promote Sam to the role. He’s proved to be an inspirational and innovative leader, who’s already made a big difference at Shop Direct.”

Shop Direct also announces departure of group fashion director

Perkins joined Shop Direct almost three years ago from Tesco, where he was commercial director. Since then, he has led work to develop data-driven, dynamic pricing and helped to grow categories like sportswear, where Shop Direct is now the UK’s top online seller. He has also played a central role in delivering three successive, high growth peak trading periods.

In addition, Shop Direct has also announced that Zoe Matthews, group fashion director, will leave the company in summer 2018 to become VP George brand at Asda/ Walmart.

At Shop Direct, Matthews re-focused the group’s fashion brand portfolio towards major high street names like River Island and Mango, and premium names like Ted Baker and Karen Millen, as well as led the consolidation of own label fashion brands into a single hero brand, V By Very.

Matt had joined the business from Sainsburys and spent seven years with Shop Direct – including four and a half as group product director. During that time, the company added, he led the business to increase its stable of quality brands to over 1,800 and enhanced the business’ sourcing capability across the globe and led clothing and footwear to significant growth, including overseeing the launch of V by Very.

“Matt’s had a huge impact since joining the business and, latterly, our board. He’s successfully led our transformation across product and when he leaves the business, we’ll gratefully wish him all the best for the future. I’d also like to thank Zoe for her contribution to the business, which has helped to define our high quality clothing and footwear offering across both branded and own brand,” added Harding.

Picture credit:Shop Direct