Harding on the menu for M&S head of food job

Tesco commercial director Dido Harding has emerged as another possible contender for the head of food job at Marks & Spencer.

She joins a list of people who are understood to be in the frame for the position, including former Safeway trading director Jack Sinclair, Waitrose selling and marketing director Mark Price and ex-Sainsbury's managing director Stuart Mitchell.

Harding, a former Woolworths commercial director, is seen as one of the best retailers under 40.

M&S chief executive Stuart Rose recently shifted executive director Maurice Helfgott's responsibility from food to menswear, childrenswear and home. At present, there is no head of womenswear, with Rose acting as an interim boss.

Former New Look chief executive Stephen Sunnucks is understood to have met with both Rose and Philip Green in recent months. However, sources close to M&S believe it is unlikely that he would join.

- M&S week four: page 3.