David Riddiford, the former chief executive of Arnotts and buying and merchandise director of Selfridges, has been drafted in to advise lingerie chain La Senza on an interim basis.

Riddiford, who attended the lingerie industry’s annual Contour Ball last night, said he was helping the business to return to its roots as first and foremost a fashion lingerie chain.

He said work would be done on its stores and its product ranges and that La Senza planned to get back to focussing on an 18 to 30 year old female shopper who was not well served elsewhere.

La Senza had been seeking to appoint a chairman. It is unclear whether that search is still in process.

The business is run by commercial director Beverley Williams and finance director Nick Mather. It does not have a chief executive.