Last updated 06/01/2011
The Board of Morrisons announces four senior management appointments, three to newly created roles and one internal promotion. These moves further strengthen the strategic and commercial capabilities of the senior team, enhancing its ability to develop and implement the strategy outlined by Dalton Philips at the interim results in September 2010.
Belinda Youngs is appointed to the role of Own Brand Director joining from Sobeys in Canada where she was Chief Marketing Officer. Belinda will be responsible for all Morrisons Private Brand activities, developing the Morrisons own label as a leading brand. Belinda has extensive own label development experience and has held senior trading and buying posts with Sainsbury’s. Belinda will report to Richard Hodgson, Group Commercial Director.
Nick Collard is appointed to the role of Commercial Director, Ambient & Frozen joining from Boots where he was Brands Director. He has extensive retail experience having worked at senior levels for L’Oreal, Mars, and Sainsbury’s. Nick will report to Richard Hodgson, Group Commercial Director.
Gordon Mowat is appointed as Strategy Director joining from McKinsey & Company where he is one of the leaders of their European Consumer Goods and Retail Practice. Gordon will progress the Morrisons strategic agenda and develop and roll-out long term business plans aimed at delivering the next phase of growth. Previously he worked as a Category Director for Procter and Gamble. Gordon will report to Richard Pennycook, Chief Financial Officer.
Richard Lancaster has been promoted to the role of Marketing Director to bring together the marketing and customer services strategies to strengthen further the Morrisons brand. Additional changes are also being made to the Commercial Division to drive the integration of trading and marketing. Angus Maciver has decided to leave the business to pursue other opportunities.
Dalton Philips, Morrisons Chief Executive, commented:
“I am delighted to welcome Belinda, Gordon and Nick to Morrisons. They are outstanding business people and together represent a big step forward in the strength of our operational and strategic capabilities and the pace at which we can execute. We also continue to develop internal talent with an individual of the calibre of Richard Lancaster becoming Marketing Director. I’m confident they will all make an immediate impact in their new roles.
“Morrisons is clearly able to attract the brightest and the best talent from around the world and I look forward to working with the team in the coming months as we implement our plans to make Morrisons ‘Different and Better than Ever’.”
Norman Pickavance, Group Human Resources Director, said:
"The competition for senior talent in the retail sector has never been fiercer. That Morrisons appeals to such a strong and broad line up of talent from such well-regarded competitors is a clear endorsement of the opportunities that we are able to offer and the culture that we have developed.”