Katharine Challinor

Source: Morrisons

She is replacing Nick Russell, who is leaving the business in the coming weeks 

Former Allwyn director of retail Katharine Challinor is set to join Morrisons next month as head of independent franchise and new business.

Replacing Nick Russell, who is leaving the business after three years, Challinor will be responsible for supporting Morrisons’ franchise partners.

Prior to working at Allwyn, she held senior roles at the Post Office, including director of branch retail design. From 2015 to 2017, she was café trading manager at Sainsbury’s.

The appointment comes as Morrisons continues to invest in improving the level of service offered to its franchise partners.

It is currently doubling its ambient distribution centre and has also started to take fresh inbound deliveries directly from suppliers in order to provide retailers with fresher produce more consistently, it said.

“We’re delighted to be welcoming Katharine to our team as we continue to support our new and existing franchise partners,” said Morrisons convenience director Paul Dobson.

“Her extensive experience in this sector makes her a great addition to our team and we will be introducing her to our franchise partners properly as soon as she is fully on board.”

Challinor added: “I’ve always been passionate about helping convenience retailers grow sales and the vital roles they play in local communities, so I’m excited to be joining the Morrisons team and look forward to meeting with retailers soon.”