The jury is still out on whether Mike Coupe left Sainsbury’s in better shape than he found it. The shares have lost around a third of their value in the six years Coupe has been at the helm, but the retailer is arguably standing up to the discounters better than any of its big four rivals. And a bold five-year plan set out in September leaves successor Simon Roberts with a clear path to follow. 

So how is his experience likely to shape his approach?