Shop Direct reshapes executive board

Shop Direct, the UK’s largest integrated pureplay digital retailer and credit provider, has reshaped its executive board with an external hire, an internal promotion and new roles for two of its longest-serving directors.

Tommy Jordan will join the business on Monday 14 January 2019 as financial services CEO, while Sarah Willett has been promoted to the role of group people director – both reporting directly to group CEO, Henry Birch.

Jacqui Humphries, who has held the role of group people director for the last 10 years, has stepped down from her executive duties and will become a non-executive director. Former financial services CEO, Neil Chandler, remains with the business and will focus on business development and innovation. In addition, former group finance director, Mark McMenemy, will also join the Shop Direct board as a non-executive director.

A proven consumer finance leader, Tommy Jordan joins Shop Direct as financial services CEO with over 15 years’ experience, having held senior positions across retail banking, payments and personal lending with companies including Wonga, Travelex and Lloyds Banking Group. He joined Wonga in 2015 and became UK CEO in 2016 as part of a new leadership team engaged to improve the business and deliver changes to product, marketing, culture and organisation. At Shop Direct, he will be responsible for growing financial services income and improving the quality of the debtor book, delivering further improvements in customer outcomes, continuing to deliver Shop Direct’s transformational customer experience programme and developing new, affordable credit products.

Sarah Willett has been with Shop Direct for 10 years, latterly in the wide-ranging role of people director, where she has been instrumental in delivering the organisational change and embedding the procedures and values that have supported Shop Direct’s transformation. In stepping up to the executive board, she will oversee the group’s progressive approach to people management, which has in recent years seen it achieve and maintain world class colleague engagement, deliver a pioneering reward and wellbeing programme and attract and empower some of the best retail and digital talent in the market.

Henry Birch, group CEO at Shop Direct, said:

“I am delighted to welcome two exceptional leaders to our executive team.

“Tommy is an experienced and dynamic consumer finance professional. He has the qualities we need to continue growing our financial services business, whilst investing in new technology and delivering even better outcomes for customers.

“In Sarah we have one of retail’s most experienced people directors. Her expertise and deep knowledge of our business will ensure that our talent, capability and cultural development plans remain aligned with our long-term strategic ambitions and priorities.

“Neil and Jacqui have each played an integral part in delivering Shop Direct’s transformation over the last 10 years. I am delighted that they will both remain involved in the business and continue to provide invaluable leadership and advice. Mark’s support will also prove a major asset to the executive team in the years ahead.”

ENDS

CONTACT INFORMATION

Media enquiries

Brunswick                             

Eilis Murphy                             0207 404 5959

Shop Direct                           

Lauren Young                          0844 292 3986

Dave Lafferty                           0844 292 3986

 Bondholder enquiries

 Shop Direct                           

David Fletcher                         david.fletcher@shopdirect.com

 ABOUT SHOP DIRECT

 As the UK’s largest integrated pureplay digital retailer and lender, Shop Direct has annual sales of £1.96 billion. Our brands are Very.co.uk, Littlewoods.com, VeryExclusive.co.uk and Littlewoods.ie. We receive an average of more than 1.4 million website visits every day, with 74% of online sales completed on mobile devices.

We exist to make good things easily accessible to more people. With our multi-category range of famous brands, market-leading technology and data capabilities and unique financial services products offering flexible ways to pay, we’re well placed to deliver on that promise.

We sell more than 1,800 famous brands, including big name labels and our own exclusive brands. We have four million customers and deliver 49 million products every year. Our free click and collect service, Collect+, delivers to 7,000 stores across the UK, increasing ease and convenience for customers.

For more information on Shop Direct, visit www.shopdirect.com or follow us on Twitter at @ShopDirect.