The Morrisons board could be set to surprise the industry for a second time with a new chief executive who lacks retail experience, The Grocer has learnt.

MWM Consulting, the headhunters charged with finding Marc Bolland’s successor, have interviewed dozens of candidates across Europe, including those with backgrounds in marketing, according to one candidate. He said such was the success of Bolland, a former Heineken executive, the board was “casting its net wide” and considering “taking someone from marketing or branding and I wouldn’t be surprised if they go abroad again”.

In the immediate aftermath of Bolland’s resignation in November, most industry experts suggested Morrisons would need to hire an experienced retailer to cement the Dutchman’s marketing-led recovery.

Matthew Truman, head of retail research at Nomura, said a shortlist compiled by headhunters was presented to Morrisons chairman Sir Ian Gibson just before Christmas. The retailer had “probably two or three months grace” before the pressure to announce the appointment became acute, he said.

However, Evolution Securities analyst Dave McCarthy, said Morrisons should name Bolland’s successor as soon as possible. “The company has had long enough now to have reviewed external and internal options,” he said.

The bookies’ favourite remains Morrisons finance director Richard Pennycook whose odds narrowed to 6/4 this week, according to Paddy Power, with Waitrose MD Mark Price at 9/4. Other candidates include McDonald’s chief executive Steve Easterbrook at 9/1, Gregg’s chief executive Ken McMeikan at 16/1 and Manvider Singh Banga, head of Unilever India, at 20/1.

Meanwhile Bolland is understood to have been in Bradford this week discussing when the board will allow him to begin his new job at M&S. He is contractually obliged to Morrisons until next November, but is likely to be released as early as the spring.

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