Australian wholesale grocery distributor Metcash Limited (Metcash) has announced it will split its Food and Grocery pillar into two divisions, each led by a separate CEO. The move will see the convenience channel separated from the supermarket wholesale channel.
Metcash said the change will “provide a greater turnaround platform” for its supermarkets business and “optimise the growth opportunities” it has identified in the convenience channel.
The change, which Metcash said was “necessary to drive execution of the strategic plan currently being finalised” will see the position of Chief Operating Officer, Food and Grocery, “disestablished. The current Food and Grocery CEO, Silvestro Morabito will leave the Company effective 20 December 2013 “to pursue other opportunities”.
“I would like to pay tribute to the role Silvestro has played in the business,” said Ian Morrice, Group CEO of Metcash. “He has been leading Food and Grocery through a very challenging trading period, battling issues of price deflation and intensified competition,” he said.
Fergus Collins, currently the CEO of Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM) will take on the role of CEO Supermarkets, and Scott Marshall, currently General Manager of Merchandise and Marketing at ALM will take over the role of CEO ALM. The new CEO Convenience will be appointed in the near future.
