Nigel Gray nisa

Source: Nisa

Nisa said Gray, who spent five years at the buying group, was taking a career break to consider his next move

Nisa retail director Nigel Gray is leaving the Co-op-owned buying group after five years as part of a management restructure.

The buying group said the changes, which take effect from 1 July, are aimed at better aligning its structure to its current four-year growth strategy to support its existing partners and recruit new ones.

The sales and retail teams are being merged under sales director Steve Leach who will be responsible for recruitment, account management and retail operations.

Nisa COO John McNeill will add format and development, marketing and PR as well as the company’s charity, Make A Difference Locally, to his existing portfolio.

Martin Rogers, head of new channels at the Co-op, is also taking on responsibility for strategic planning on top of his role looking after the Co-op and Nisa franchising operations.

Nisa said Gray was taking a career break to consider his next move. Before joining the Scunthorpe-based business he spent four and a half years as retail director for Northern Irish Spar wholesaler Henderson Group and before that 19 years as a regional director at M&S.

“We recently celebrated our first-year anniversary of being part of the Co-op family and reflected on our successes to date,” said Nisa CEO Ken Towle.

“However, there is more we can do to realise our strategic vision and this reorganisation will better align our management structure to Nisa’s growth strategy.

“For many years, Nigel has been a key part of our leadership team, commuting from his home in Northern Ireland to lead our field teams and partner engagement. Having successfully led the retail team through the first year of Co-op ownership, Nigel has now decided to leave the business and, while we are very sorry to see him go, we wholeheartedly wish him all the very best for the future. Meanwhile, I have every confidence that John, Steve and Martin have the necessary experience, expertise and drive to successfully build on Nisa’s recent success, and I look forward to working with them in their expanded roles.”

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