M&S director Laura Wade-Gery extends maternity leave

One of British retailer Marks & Spencer's most senior directors has extended her maternity leave by eight months having previously stated she would return to the business in early January.

The firm said on Wednesday that Laura Wade-Gery, executive director, multi-channel, will now return to the firm on Sept. 1, taking her full one-year entitlement to maternity leave.

M&S initially informed the stock market of Wade-Gery's impending absence in August.

Until her return finance chief Helen Weir will maintain responsibility for e-commerce distribution, and Sacha Berendji,director of retail, and David Walmsley, director of M&S.com, will continue to report to Chief Executive Marc Bolland.

Wade-Gery has in the past been tipped by some as a possible successor to Bolland, though her star waned somewhat last year when M&S's new online platform got off to a shaky start.

Shares in M&S have fallen 12 percent over the last month on Christmas trading concerns.

A second poor Christmas in a row is expected to put Bolland's position into question after five years in the job.

The firm is due to publish a third-quarter trading update on Jan. 7.