Very.com and Littlewoods.com owner Shop Direct has announced it has appointed Sally-Anne Newson as its first business development director as the company look to increase its commercial partnerships.

Ms Newson has 16 years experience in the industry and previous roles have included business development director at ASOS, head of multichannel retail at Woolworth Group in Australia, chief executive of online fashion retailer Atterley, as well as working at eBay for eight years where she worked her way up to head of buyer.

Ms Newson commented: “Shop Direct’s recent transformation has been stellar. I’m excited to be joining such an ambitious, digital business.”
“Supplier relationships have been critical in Shop Direct’s transformation to date, and I can’t wait to continue creating and nurturing partnerships that can take us to the next level.”

Chief executive Alex Baldock, added: “Building strong partnerships with innovative, like-minded companies is helping us offer the best experience for our customers. That’s why we’ve brought in Sally-Anne. She’s got the skills to take us even further; developing new and existing relationships to accelerate our journey towards world class.”