Boots is shaking up its commercial operations, with Anne Murphy general manager UK & Ireland at Birds Eye taking on one of two new senior trading posts the UK business is set to create.
For Murphy, a former Tesco buyer, it's a chance to return to retail. Reporting to new COO Ken Murphy and based in Nottingham, she will also go back into health and beauty, a category in which she specialised in marketing roles at Procter & Gamble.
"It's a great job. It's health and beauty, and I loved that and it's a private equity-owned company, so there's a lot of familiarity, but it also takes me in a new direction, as the Boots culture is undergoing quite a lot of change."
Murphy also revealed that she was all set to join another "grocery retailer" when the Boots offer came in only last week.
"I always assumed I would one day return to retail, and I was approached by a grocery retailer in the new year and was really excited. So I handed in my notice, and was working with [Birds Eye CEO Martin Glenn] to manage the succession planning for my role at Birds Eye. Then last week I received an even better offer."
Boots was unable to confirm the precise nature of the role, or further details of the restructure, but it's understood to be linked to the departure of former CEO Andy Hornby in March. The promotion of former commercial director Ken Murphy and fellow COO Simon Roberts, and the creation of two new senior-level appointments, makes the promotion of Health & Beauty CEO Alex Gourlay to the top UK job increasingly likely.
In the meantime, Birds Eye is expected to announce a successor for Murphy's role next week.
CEO Glenn paid tribute to Murphy's "key contribution to the overall success of the Iglo Group to date". One of the first new senior hires in January 2007, "she transformed the UK & Ireland business, reversing the long term decline of the business, significantly improving profitability and re-energising the Birds Eye brand in the minds of consumers and trade partners".
For Murphy, a former Tesco buyer, it's a chance to return to retail. Reporting to new COO Ken Murphy and based in Nottingham, she will also go back into health and beauty, a category in which she specialised in marketing roles at Procter & Gamble.
"It's a great job. It's health and beauty, and I loved that and it's a private equity-owned company, so there's a lot of familiarity, but it also takes me in a new direction, as the Boots culture is undergoing quite a lot of change."
Murphy also revealed that she was all set to join another "grocery retailer" when the Boots offer came in only last week.
"I always assumed I would one day return to retail, and I was approached by a grocery retailer in the new year and was really excited. So I handed in my notice, and was working with [Birds Eye CEO Martin Glenn] to manage the succession planning for my role at Birds Eye. Then last week I received an even better offer."
Boots was unable to confirm the precise nature of the role, or further details of the restructure, but it's understood to be linked to the departure of former CEO Andy Hornby in March. The promotion of former commercial director Ken Murphy and fellow COO Simon Roberts, and the creation of two new senior-level appointments, makes the promotion of Health & Beauty CEO Alex Gourlay to the top UK job increasingly likely.
In the meantime, Birds Eye is expected to announce a successor for Murphy's role next week.
CEO Glenn paid tribute to Murphy's "key contribution to the overall success of the Iglo Group to date". One of the first new senior hires in January 2007, "she transformed the UK & Ireland business, reversing the long term decline of the business, significantly improving profitability and re-energising the Birds Eye brand in the minds of consumers and trade partners".
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