Waitrose managing director Steven Esom has quit and is thought to be heading to high street rival M&S as head of food.
Esom has left Waitrose just four months after failing to land the job of chairman of Waitrose’s parent group John Lewis.
His arrival at M&S is thought to be part of a wider reshuffle in M&S and, says today’s Times: “It is not clear what Mr Esom’s appointment will mean for Guy Farrant, M&S’s present head of food, who has been with the company since 1979.”
Esom is respected in the food sector, having spent 11 years with Waitrose, the last five as md, overseeing dynamic growth. That experience will be invaluable to M&S, as it roles out its “Plan A” commitments to become a more environmentally sustainable business and aims to open another 400 of its specialist Simply Food stores in high streets and on BP forecourts.
Mark Price has been appointed to replace Esom at Waitrose. He has held key roles in Waitrose, including marketing director, and been director of selling and marketing, with further responsibility for retail operations, since 2000.
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