Tesco has promoted UK buying director for clothing Jan Marchant to a European role and drafted in former Marks & Spencer director Bernadette Lusher to bolster its fashion team.

Marchant, who joined Tesco in 2002, has been promoted to design director of clothing business F&F Europe. She will lead the UK design process and central Europe and will report to central European clothing director Jason Tarry.

Lusher will join this month as Marchant’s replacement as UK clothing buying director, reporting to apparel boss Richard Jones.

She was previously at Marks & Spencer where she was trading director for womenswear.

Tesco has made the changes to strengthen its product capabilities by creating the dedicated design role, a spokeswoman said.