Morrisons has made four senior appointments as new chief executive Dalton Philips bolsters his team.

Belinda Youngs has been appointed own brand director, joining from Sobeys in Canada where she was chief marketing officer. She will look after all of Morrisons private brand activities. She was previously with Sainsbury’s. She will report to group commercial director Richard Hodgson.

Nick Collard is appointed commercial director, ambient and frozen. He joins from Boots where he was brands director. He will also report to Hodgson.

Gordon Mowat is appointed strategy director, joining from McKinsey & Company, where he is part of the European Consumer Goods and Retail Practice. He will develop long term business plans and was previously category director for Procter & Gamble. He will report to chief financial officer Richard Pennycook.

Richard Lancaster has been promoted to marketing director to bring together marketing and customer services strategies. Additional changes are also being made to the commercial division. Current marketing director Angus Maciver is leaving the business.

Philips said: “I am delighted to welcome Belinda, Gordon and Nick to Morrisons.  They are outstanding business people and together represent a big step forward in the strength of our operational and strategic capabilities and the pace at which we can execute.  We also continue to develop internal talent with an individual of the calibre of Richard Lancaster becoming Marketing Director.  I’m confident they will all make an immediate impact in their new roles. 

“Morrisons is clearly able to attract the brightest and the best talent from around the world and I look forward to working with the team in the coming months as we implement our plans to make Morrisons ‘Different and Better than Ever’.”

Norman Pickavance, group human resources director, said: “The competition for senior talent in the retail sector has never been fiercer.  That Morrisons appeals to such a strong and broad line up of talent from such well-regarded competitors is a clear endorsement of the opportunities that we are able to offer and the culture that we have developed.”

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