Monique Picou, named this week as Procter & Gamble's new supply chain director, says she is excited about the prospect of entering the "hugely competitive landscape" of UK grocery.

Picou took up the role of supply network operations director for P&G UK & Ireland at the start of this month. The appointment marks the American's sixth move within the multinational since she joined 21 years ago.

In her new role, Picou will be responsible for forecasting and planning across the 75-plus strong portfolio of fmcg brands, which includes Pampers, Pringles and Fairy. She is tasked with ensuring the smooth running of supply operations and the introduction of new products to store, in addition to managing customer service and logistics operations across UK and Irish retailers.

Prior to this role, Picou was based in Geneva as P&G's supply network leader for fabric care, covering the Western Europe region a role she took up in 2008.

She joined P&G in 1989, holding various manufacturing and process engineering roles in Kansas and Louisiana before moving to the company's Cincinnati-based North America HQ 10 years later, where she held a senior supply chain role at P&G's American coffee business.

Picou will oversee a 130-strong team at P&G's head office in Surrey and report into Irwin Lee, VP UK & Ireland.

She claimed her biggest challenge would be acclimatising to the British retail landscape and working in a more "aggressive" price promotion environment than in her native US.

"British consumers have been trained to shop on deal to a bigger extent than in Geneva and the US," she said. "We also have more lines of fabric care here American consumers are not as savvy as consumers here when it comes to fabric care. But it's that diversity of international assignments that appeals to me. P&G gives you opportunities to grow."

Picou replaces Lisa Dowding, who moved to a European-based role as ­director of product supply for P&G's male grooming portfolio.