Exclusive Tim Palmer Allan Cheesman has been wooed back to Sainsbury to take up the newly created role as director of wine. Cheesman shocked the trade when he left the multiple exactly a year ago to become marketing director at BRL Hardy Europe. He had spent 28 years at Sainsbury and when he left had just completed a category management project that led to the formation of a new commercial division. But Cheesman's new job at Sainsbury, which he takes up on June 19 , will allow him to concentrate on wine ­ his key passion. Sainsbury said it was looking for an expert wine director to give additional focus to the company's wine range and image, deepen the retail offer and accelerate its e-commerce wine business. The company said it was delighted to have persuaded Cheesman to come back into the fold. On his last day at BRL Hardy this week, he said: "Once a retailer, always a retailer. I considered the opportunity to rejoin very carefully. I am not one to hop around jobs at a whim, but JS is different from when I left it 12 months ago. "I had a wide commercial director's remit when I left, this new role is much more focused on wine." He had nothing but praise for the existing wine team led by Allan Webb with whom he said he would be glad to be working again. BRL Hardy chief executive Chris Carson was disappointed by the move but understood Cheesman's first love was retailing. "It is hard to get people like him and it is a shame when they go," he said. - Sainsbury boss Sir Peter Davis has written to suppliers saying he is keen to forge closer links with them. {{NEWS }}

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