There’s been turmoil in the jobs market this year as some big names have left the grocery world.


Other executives have found new roles in the sector. Safeway’s big guns - chief executive Carlos Criado-Perez, director of communications Kevin Hawkins, marketing and trading director Jack Sinclair and logistics director Lawrence Christensen - have found other major roles.


There’s been a lot of moving and shaking at Sainsbury too, with Sir Peter Davis, Stuart Mitchell and Sara Weller departing while Justin King, Mike Coupe and Ken McMeikan arrived.


The c-store sector has not avoided the turbulence either - consolidation and retirements in 2004 have changed the face of the convenience sector, and how many former c-store bosses are now working for the multiples?

John Bowes
The chief general manager for strategy at the Co-operative Group’s retail division left in November and is taking time out.

Maurice Helfgott
Helfgott, earlier the director of food, left M& S in November when his new role as director, menswear, childrenswear and home was made redundant.

Stuart Mitchell
The Sainsbury Supermarkets MD departed in May after a further fall in profits. Mitchell had worked for Sainsbury for 20 years.

Eddie Thompson
The Morning Noon & Night boss bowed out in August after selling his 50-store chain to Scotmid. He is chairman of Dundee United.

Carlos Criado-Perez
Left Safeway in March after the takeover. In October he became chairman of Ahold’s former Spanish food retail chain, now owned by Permira.

Malcolm Hepworth
The Co-operative Group’s chief operating officer, food retail, left in September after seven years in the position. He is now taking time out.

Tony O’Neill
The chief executive of the Conveco convenience chain of 64 stores left the company when it was bought by the Co-operative Group in May.

Luc Vandevelde
The chairman parted company with Marks and Spencer after four years. He stays as a non-executive board member of Carrefour.

Sir Peter Davis
CEO Sir Peter left Sainsbury in June after shareholder anger at his bonus award of £2.4m, at a time when profits and market share were falling.


Roger Holmes
Holmes left his chief exec post at Marks and Spencer in May and has now been reunited with Luc Vandevelde at Change Capital.

Mark Price
Waitrose’s director of selling and marketing left to join the main board of parent the John Lewis Partnership as development director.

Sara Weller
Sainsbury’s deputy MD left in June, following the appointment of Justin King, and then joined Argos as managing director.

Cliff Goodman
The Budgens trading director has retired from the company. After 34 years at Budgens, he has now set up a purchasing and retail consultancy.

Len McCormick
The MD of Batleys had his leaving do in August, but is still playing a role at the cash & carry alongside new MD Ian Dyson.

David Saunders
The TM Retail managing director stepped down in October due to ill health, but retains a seat on the board of the chain of 1,300 stores.

Robin Whitbread
Somerfield Group’s buying and marketing director and MD of Kwik Save resigned amid rumours he was unhappy at being sidelined.

Kevin Hawkins
Hawkins is now director general of the British Retail Consortium after nine years as Safeway’s director of communications.

Morton Middleditch
Delegates at Spar’s annual conference gave retiring chairman Morton Middleditch a standing ovation after he delivered the closing address.

Jack Sinclair
Safeway’s marketing and trading director left post-takeover. He was involved in talks with VCs eyeing smaller Safeway stores.

Graham White
The Londis chief executive left before the Musgrave takeover but continued to work with the retailer on a consultancy basis.

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