The John Lewis Partnership has announced the appointment of Tom Denyard as the new managing director of Waitrose.

Denyard joins Waitrose from Tesco, where he held several senior positions, including managing director of Tesco Online, chief executive of Tesco Mobile, and chief operating officer for Tesco stores in Malaysia. He has also worked in food buying for Tesco, giving him a broad commercial background in the grocery sector.

Earlier in his career, Denyard spent time at Unilever in a range of roles across sales, marketing, category management, strategy, and general management. He also served as head of brand for food at Marks & Spencer, further strengthening his credentials in the UK retail and FMCG sectors.

Denyard will replace James Bailey, who is stepping down after five years as managing director. Bailey will leave Waitrose at the end of September. Until Denyard takes up the post in January, Tina Mitchell, currently retail director, will serve as interim managing director.

Jason Tarry, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, commented: “Tom’s blend of brand, customer, commercial and operational experience make him the ideal person to take the business forward. I’m confident that under his guidance, Waitrose will continue to thrive and innovate, delivering exceptional quality and service to our customers, building on the impressive progress made by James Bailey and the Waitrose team.”

The leadership reshuffle comes as Waitrose and John Lewis continue to navigate a challenging UK retail environment, with the Partnership recently reporting improved financial results and growth in customer numbers. Analysts note that Denyard’s digital and operational expertise could help Waitrose accelerate its online expansion and adapt to evolving consumer habits.

Last month, John Lewis also announced that Dom McBrien will join the firm as its chief digital & omnichannel officer, a newly created role on the company’s management board. McBrien brings over 20 years of digital transformation experience, joining from Glanbia Performance Nutrition where he was global president for direct to consumer. He has also previously served as chief executive at Body&Fit.

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