Ocado Group is reportedly poised to appoint Adam Warby, a former Microsoft executive, as its new chairman in a move that marks a significant leadership transition for the online grocery technology provider.

Warby, who currently chairs the board of private equity firm KKR and software company SoftwareONE, has emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Rick Haythornthwaite, according to numerous reports. An announcement could come as early as November, with the appointment coming at a crucial time for the London-listed company.

The potential appointment follows Haythornthwaite's decision to step down next year due to his increasing commitments at NatWest Group. He will not seek re-election at Ocado's annual general meeting in April 2025.

Tim Steiner, chief executive officer of Ocado, previously commented on Haythornthwaite's planned departure: "Needless to say, we will be disappointed to lose Rick but we fully understand the reasons why he is stepping down as chair to focus on his new role at NatWest. Rick has done a great job strengthening corporate governance, providing the executive team with wise advice and, together with a renewed and refocused board, helping us grow the business over the last three years."

Warby brings extensive experience to the role, having held various positions at both Microsoft and IBM. He also spent a decade as chief executive officer of Avanade, a digital and cloud services provider formed as a joint venture between Accenture and Microsoft, where he now serves as chief executive officer emeritus.

The leadership change comes during a challenging period for Ocado, whose shares have fallen by 25 per cent over the past year, resulting in a market capitalisation of just over £3 billion. The company continues to provide e-commerce, fulfilment and logistics services to major international grocery retailers, while maintaining a 50 per cent stake in Ocado Retail alongside joint venture partner Marks & Spencer.

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