(Reuters) - British casino operator Rank Group Plc said its chief executive, Henry Birch, had resigned to take over the top job at online retailer Shop Direct.

Birch was CEO for nearly four years at Rank, which operates Grosvenor casinos and Mecca bingo hall. He has a 12-month notice period, Rank said.

Shop Direct said separately Birch would join later this year and take the reins from interim CEO and group finance director, Derek Harding.

(Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)