As a result of the decision taken by Great Universal Stores Plc to place responsibility for the group's e-commerce development within its operating divisions, Michael de Kare-Silver, GUS e-commerce director, has left the company. Michael resigned from the board of directors yesterday, and is handing over his responsibilities to divisional companies.John Peace, chief executive of GUS, explained: "e-commerce has become an integral part of the growth strategy of our major divisions, and we now have a great deal of expertise across the Group. It makes sense for our operating divisions to take responsibility for managing their own e-commerce development and for identifying new investment opportunities."With annual sales of well over £50 million, GUS is now a very significant e-commerce player, and is confident that this latest move will establish a strong platform for future growth.