Morrisons poaches M&S mobile lead

Morrisons has appointed former Marks & Spencer digital lead Sienne Veit to lead its multichannel expansion plans for its general merchandise and Kiddicare business.

Morrisons

Veit will take on a newly created mobile lead role at Morrisons. She will look after mobile website, applications and payments as well as user experience and web design for all Kiddicare and Morrisons.com web sites, in-store multichannel and connected applications.

A Morrisons spokesperson says: “Her challenge is to deliver a great seamless customer experience regardless of where and how they wish to shop.”

At M&S Veit headed up research and development of mobile channels and was heavily involved with creating the M&S Smart TV app launched earlier this year.

Morrisons is behind its rivals Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s in mobile development and is the only supermarket not to offer online grocery. It launched a mobile app and mobile optimised website in 2010, but it does not offer any transactional capability.

The supermarket is however ramping up its multichannel efforts as part of the growth of its Kiddicare business.

It intends to open 10 fully integrated, multi-channel Kiddicare stores in the next year or so after acquiring sites from failed electricals chain Best Buy.

Morrisons acquired the online baby-wear retailer last year as part of its efforts to accelerate its multi-platform operations.

The departure is another blow to M&S’s digital ambitions. Veit’s departure follows director of new channels, Susan Aubrey-Cound’s exit in February.

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