Marc Bolland has made another high-profile appointment to his senior team at Marks & Spencer.

Former John Lewis strategist Robert Weston comes on board in the new role of brand director for foods.

A spokesman for M&S said Weston would be responsible for developing and coordinating the retailer’s brand and marketing strategy for its foods arm, reporting to executive director for marketing Steven Sharp.

In November, M&S said it planned to build on its heritage of quality and innovation in its food business to establish a clear market position as a specialist, high-quality food retailer. It vowed to focus on freshness, speciality and convenience.

Weston’s hire is the latest in a string of appointments at M&S. Last month Christopher Taylor joined as director of Simply Food, franchise & hospitality. Jan Heere joined in February as head of international, while Tesco big-hitter Laura Wade-Gery defected to oversee the company's online push.

It emerged yesterday that the retailer is also looking for two new non-execs, with deputy chairman Sir David Michels among those being replaced.

Read more
M&S eyes more new blood in the boardroom (5 May 2011)
M&S raids Morrisons again for new head of Simply Food (8 April 2011)
M&S hires Heere to head up international push (24 February 2011)
Tesco stunned by Wade-Gery defection to M&S (8 February 2011)