After M&S and Asos, Kate Bostock heads to the Coast

Kate Bostock, the former head of clothing at Marks & Spencer, is to join the women's fashion retailer Coast as chief executive, following her abrupt exit from Asos last month.

The hiring marks a swift return to the retail sector for Ms Bostock after her short seven-month tenure at the online fashion specialist.

Ms Bostock, who was executive director of general merchandise at M&S and joins Coast in September, said: "I am really thrilled to be joining the business. It is a great fit for my skills and expertise. I am really excited about taking the brand forward."

Aurora Fashions, the group behind the Coast and Warehouse chains, spun off Coast as a standalone company earlier this year. This sparked speculation about a sale of Coast although sources have played down this prospect in the short term.

Before joining M&S in 2004, Ms Bostock was the product director for Asda's George brand, and before that she had run the childrenswear division of Next.