Shop Direct has poached Gap’s buying boss Zoe Matthews as it re-plans its buying and merchandising team.

The Gap’s European buying boss, who also previously worked at House of Fraser, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, will be joining Shop Direct on July 15th.

Zoe Matthews’s new role will be to cover womenswear, menswear, sportswear, childrenswear, footwear and accessories across all of the brands.

Group product director Matt Dixon said: “Since being promoted to the role of group product director last November, I’ve spent time with the teams restructuring our clothing and footwear department in line with the market. This is an important step for us as we look to drive our fashion business forward and create clear career paths for our people.

“Zoe’s arrival cements that new structure and will ensure that we have a consistency of approach across our clothing and footwear categories. Her fashion credentials are second to none and we’re looking forward to working with her to strengthen our product agenda as we develop into a world class digital retailer.

“Shop Direct’s clothing and footwear business is in a great position, thanks to its experienced team, strong focus on stock and efficiency and deep understanding of its customer base. There’s a huge opportunity now to really develop and curate its product range, particularly in own brand fashion.”