Marks & Spencer will announce profits this week that are fast approaching the £1bn mark.

Analysts at Panmure Gordon expect M&S to post a £980m pre-tax profit on Tuesday, with sales growth in the past three months of seven per cent.

M&S recently introduced fresh blood to its executive line-up. Steven Esom, the former managing director of Waitrose, is joining the company as director of food, while Carl Leaver, the former chief executive of De Vere Hotels, is to join as director of international operations.

And the retailer is also expected to announce an upping of its online presence as it looks to compete with Ocado, the Waitrose internet shopping arm.

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