Blue Inc has promoted retail operations director Peter Girt to managing director as long-standing boss Steven Cohen takes on a new role in the US.

Girt has been with Blue Inc for the past 10 years and previously worked for now defunct electricals firm Powerhouse.

Cohen, who has been at the helm of Blue Inc for 11 years, told Retail Week he is set to take up a position at a New York-based retailer early next year.

He will remain a non-executive director of Blue Inc.

Cohen said: “Peter is an ideal candidate to take Blue Inc forward. He has helped us to develop our store portfolio and has driven growth in KPIs across the business for the past 10 years.”

Cohen acquired Blue Inc in 2006 from previous owners the Levy family, which includes Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy.

He will continue to hold a stake in the business.

He said: “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved over the last 11 years, having grown from 28 stores in the South-east to a nationwide, multichannel, multi-brand business in a tough market for high street menswear.”

Blue Inc now has 140 stores after closing 74 unprofitable shops earlier this year.

Its store numbers were bolstered by its acquisition of 46 Officers Club stores out of administration in 2011.

In its year to December 2015, sales hit £114m at the menswear group.