// Samantha Hornsby starts at M&S’s new head of food online
// Poached from Tesco, where she was head of online services and experience
Marks & Spencer has quietly hired Samantha Hornsby as its new head of food online, whereby she will be responsible for the bellwether retailer’s existing online food offering and any future developments.
Hornsby started in her role at the start of this year, after she was poached from Tesco where she was head of online services and experience.
She also replaces Tim Lee, who left M&S in October last year.
Her appointment comes amid reports that M&S was in discussion with online grocery retailer Ocado over a potential deal to buy the latter’s key distribution centres, delivery vans and lorries.
M&S’s grocery division currently only sells limited food products online, such as wine and food-to-order.
An M&S source speaking to Retail Gazette would not comment on whether part of Hornsby’s remit to carry out developments could eventually lead to the launch of a full food delivery service.
However, last year M&S said it would explore the possibility of an online food delivery proposition.
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