// M&S poaches Topshop’s trading director Helen Wilson as head of womenswear merchandising

// Wilson first joined Topshop as merchandising director in November 2012

// M&S has also seen other executives from Arcadia joining its company in the past year

Marks & Spencer has reportedly poached Topshop’s trading director Helen Wilson as head of merchandising for womenswear.

Earlier this week, Arcadia revealed that Wilson was serving her notice and was due to leave the business later this year.

She is expected to join M&S in spring, Drapers reported.

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She first joined Topshop as merchandising director in November 2012 before serving as merchandise director of Arcadia-owned Wallis between October 2009 and 2012.

Wilson was also the international commercial director at British retailer Monsoon Accessorize from May 2005 to October 2009.

M&S has also seen other executives from Arcadia joining its company in the past year.

Topshop fashion director Maddy Evans joined at the end of last year in a senior buying role, and Arcadia creative director Anthony Cassidy will become M&S’s head of brand creative this spring.

Wilson is the latest Arcadia executive to join M&S.

For the 13 weeks to December 28, M&S reported a “disappointing” Christmas trading period despite its food division making a “standout” performance.

UK clothing and home sales dropped by 3.7 per cent year-on-year, and was blamed on an “underperformance in menswear and gifting”.

Consequently, the influential credit ratings agency Moody’s downgraded the retailer’s credit rating from stable to negative.

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