Ocado reshuffle after surprise resignation

Ocado has been forced to reorganise its board following the shock resignation of its chief financial officer Andrew Bracey.

The unexpected departure taints a good start to 2012, in which Ocado has reported its sales grew by nearly a quarter over the Christmas period.

Bracey leaves to take on the same role for recruitment company Michael Page.

Former Goldman Sachs banker Jason Gising, one of the three founders of Ocado, is moving to take control of the company’s commercial operations rather than the CFO job.

This means Neil Abrams, head of legal and business affairs, will take on Mr Gissing’s human resources responsibility while Mark Richardson, head of technology, is being promoted to the new role of operations director.

Ocado has also begun a legal battle with the builder of its Hatfield distribution centre, The Times newspaper has reported.

It said it has issued a breach of contract claim against Carillion, alleging that a service yard, or “slab”, used by the online grocer’s delivery vans has cracked because the concrete was not reinforced properly.