Beleaguered global retailer Ahold has appointed Dudley Eustace as interim chief financial officer with immediate effect.

The appointment of British national Eustace - currently non-executive chairman of London-based medical devices specialist Smith & Nephew - follows the resignation of CEO Cees van der Hoeven and CFO Michael Meurs last week.

Ahold chairman Henny de Ruiter said that despite the “current challenges we face, our core food businesses around the world are in solid shape and focused on their daily operation”.