Catherine Randle is to take over from BP veteran Richard Harding as manager of the oil giant's company and franchise retail estate in the UK, running around 350 BP branded stores, including BP Connect, Wild Bean Cafe and its joint venture with M&S, Simply Food.
Randle takes up the new role at the start of April. She has worked for BP for 15 years across a variety of roles, including BP's retail business in Germany, where she was a territory manager and later an operations manager.
"I am very excited about getting involved in the UK business and building on Richard's good work," she said. "The business is in a leading place in the UK market, with a great distinctive forecourt shop offer."
Harding leaves the role to join BP's Fuels Value Chain business in Turkey. He became UK convenience retail director in November 2008, replacing Karen Hubbard, who moved to Asda to take up the role of operations director. He has worked for BP for more than 20 years in a number of high-profile roles, including launching the company's first c-store offer in South Africa and negotiating and running BP's joint venture with Safeway in the UK.
"I want to thank Richard for doing a fantastic job transforming the business in the UK into one that is truly winning in the market place, and am sad to see him go," said Neale Smither, head of BP's UK Fuels Value Chain. "He will be a hard act to follow, which is why I am delighted by Catherine's impending arrival."
Randle takes on the role at a time of merger upheaval for the UK forecourt sector. Both Total UK and Murco are up for sale, affecting some 1,200 sites, and analysts have predicted overseas operators could enter the market. Second round bids for Total UK were submitted recently, with Greenergy, which Tesco has a minority stake in, understood to be firm favourites to come out on top. Other interested parties include DCC, which last month acquired Pace Fuelcare, and Harvest Energy.
Randle takes up the new role at the start of April. She has worked for BP for 15 years across a variety of roles, including BP's retail business in Germany, where she was a territory manager and later an operations manager.
"I am very excited about getting involved in the UK business and building on Richard's good work," she said. "The business is in a leading place in the UK market, with a great distinctive forecourt shop offer."
Harding leaves the role to join BP's Fuels Value Chain business in Turkey. He became UK convenience retail director in November 2008, replacing Karen Hubbard, who moved to Asda to take up the role of operations director. He has worked for BP for more than 20 years in a number of high-profile roles, including launching the company's first c-store offer in South Africa and negotiating and running BP's joint venture with Safeway in the UK.
"I want to thank Richard for doing a fantastic job transforming the business in the UK into one that is truly winning in the market place, and am sad to see him go," said Neale Smither, head of BP's UK Fuels Value Chain. "He will be a hard act to follow, which is why I am delighted by Catherine's impending arrival."
Randle takes on the role at a time of merger upheaval for the UK forecourt sector. Both Total UK and Murco are up for sale, affecting some 1,200 sites, and analysts have predicted overseas operators could enter the market. Second round bids for Total UK were submitted recently, with Greenergy, which Tesco has a minority stake in, understood to be firm favourites to come out on top. Other interested parties include DCC, which last month acquired Pace Fuelcare, and Harvest Energy.
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