Morrisons today announces a number of management changes and new roles as Rami Baitiéh starts to shape his senior team for Morrisons’ next chapter. These changes reflect some of the key areas of focus as plans to refresh and re-invigorate Morrisons are rolled out. In addition to the roles and responsibilities outlined below, all these new appointments will also play a full part in the integrated digital transformation programme that is currently underway at Morrisons.
Executive Committee Roles
Darren Blackhurst has been appointed as interim Chief Customer and Marketing Officer, while Rachel Eyre is on maternity leave. Darren will start on 18th March and have a handover period with Rachel before she goes off later in the spring.
Darren returns to Morrisons from Coles in Australia, where his most recent role was Chief Executive of the liquor business. Darren was previously at Morrisons between 2015 and 2019, principally as Group Commercial Director.
Andrew Thornber, who leads Morrisons’ manufacturing division - Myton Food Group - has been appointed to the Executive Committee with immediate effect.
Joseph Sutton, Convenience, Online & Wholesale Director, has also been appointed to the Executive Committee.
Jo Goff, Chief Financial Officer, Clare Grainger, Group People and Corporate Services Director and James Badger, Group Commercial, remain in their current roles on the Executive Committee.
Leadership updates
Peter Laflin has been appointed as Data Services Director as Morrisons focuses on being a data driven and increasingly digital company.
Myton Food Group
Di Walker has been appointed as non executive Chair of Myton Food Group. Di is currently an advisor to the business and brings a wealth of experience in the UK food industry. She is currently Group CEO of the Eight Fifty Food Group and previous experience includes Executive Chair of Karro Foods, Chief Operating Officer of Greencore PLC, and Chief Executive of Greencore UK.
Rami Baitiéh, Morrisons CEO, said: “We wish Rachel all the best for her maternity leave and look forward to welcoming Darren Blackhurst while she is off. Darren has a wealth of retail experience and his leadership on price and customer insights are well known to Morrisons from his previous very successful stint with us. Darren’s first priorities will be Morrisons pricing strategy, driving the trade agenda and further developing the promising Morrisons Media Group. I am confident he will make a tangible impact both in his interim role as Chief Customer and Marketing Officer and more widely across the business in his role on the Executive Committee.
“Many congratulations to Andrew Thornber and Joseph Sutton whose promotions to the Executive Committee reflect their significant contribution to Morrisons and the important part that they, and the businesses that they lead, have to play in our next chapter.
“Peter’s promotion also reinforces our ambition of being an increasingly data and digitally driven company.
“Di Walker has been a valued and effective advisor to Myton Food Group recently and I’m sure she will bring even more to the business as Chair. As quality and provenance become ever more important in British food supply, developing our food manufacturing operation further will become an even more powerful competitive advantage in bringing great quality food at attractive prices to our customers. I wish Di a very warm welcome to the new role.”