Former Safeway boss Carlos Criado-Perez is interested in making a return to the UK retail scene - but not until he has helped to turn around a 600-store food chain in Spain.
In an exclusive interview with The Grocer this week, Criado-Perez confirmed that he had been lined up by Permira as executive chairman of Ahold’s former Spanish food retail estate, which it is buying for E685m (The Grocer, October 23, p14).
He said that there were details to finalise before he took the job, but was confident of taking charge within a month and is even now working on a strategy for the E2bn business.
The private equity firm had made the approach, said Criado-Perez. “And I agreed to act as a consultant for the process of the bid and, if we won, then look at becoming chairman of the business.”
Criado-Perez added: “It has been very exciting to take part in the process of a bid from the beginning with a company such as Permira.”
He expects to be based full-time for a year in Spain, working on a turnaround of the 600-store chain. “My focus is Madrid. It has to be. A turnaround is intense, you can’t look at more than one thing.”
But Criado-Perez added: “I will keep my ties in the UK. I will keep on looking at this market because it is very exciting. There is still a lot of change that needs to happen. The opportunities will appear and as they do I will be around to see if I can take them.”
Since leaving Safeway, Criado-Perez has also set up a business importing Argentinian wine into the UK and another advising South American exporters of fruit, wine and meat how best to exploit the opportunities in the UK.
In an exclusive interview with The Grocer this week, Criado-Perez confirmed that he had been lined up by Permira as executive chairman of Ahold’s former Spanish food retail estate, which it is buying for E685m (The Grocer, October 23, p14).
He said that there were details to finalise before he took the job, but was confident of taking charge within a month and is even now working on a strategy for the E2bn business.
The private equity firm had made the approach, said Criado-Perez. “And I agreed to act as a consultant for the process of the bid and, if we won, then look at becoming chairman of the business.”
Criado-Perez added: “It has been very exciting to take part in the process of a bid from the beginning with a company such as Permira.”
He expects to be based full-time for a year in Spain, working on a turnaround of the 600-store chain. “My focus is Madrid. It has to be. A turnaround is intense, you can’t look at more than one thing.”
But Criado-Perez added: “I will keep my ties in the UK. I will keep on looking at this market because it is very exciting. There is still a lot of change that needs to happen. The opportunities will appear and as they do I will be around to see if I can take them.”
Since leaving Safeway, Criado-Perez has also set up a business importing Argentinian wine into the UK and another advising South American exporters of fruit, wine and meat how best to exploit the opportunities in the UK.
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