• Former Atterley boss Sally-Anne Newson joined Shop Direct this month
  • Newson also worked for Asos and Woolworths Australia previously
  • She will focus on growing commercial partnerships for Shop Direct

Shop Direct has hired former Atterley boss Sally-Anne Newson in the newly created role of business development director as its steps up its growth plans.

Newson, who joined the etailer this month, is charged with helping grow Shop Direct’s commercial partnerships.

It already has deals with IBM and SAS as it have moved towards being a pure play digital business.

Newson spent a year as chief executive of Atterley before the Terry Leahy-backed fashion website collapsed into administration in January.

Prior to that she spent eight months as business development director for Asos and had a spell running its Australia business. In her early career she worked for Woolworths Australia and eBay.

Shop Direct boss Alex Baldock said: “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.”