Nisa-Today's decision to take the role of company secretary in-house has been welcomed by members who say it is another improvement to the corporate governance of the company.

Nisa is planning to combine the role with that of company solicitor. The buying group currently out-sources its legal affairs to Wilkin Chapman solicitors and the position of company secretary is held by Rodger McCracken, brother of Guy McCracken, the Co-op Group's food retail CEO.

A spokeswoman for Nisa said McCracken, who is a senior partner at Wilkin Chapman, was welcome to apply for the job but that this was unlikely due to his other commitments at the firm. The decision to bring the role in-house would "ensure the greatest possible efficiency for the company", she said.

Ian Hunt, Filco Foods MD and leading light in the now disbanded Nisa Members Association, said that the move, along with the recruitment of two non-executive directors announced earlier this year, would enhance Nisa's corporate governance. "I am sure that these appointments will bring a healthy measure of balance to the board and help guide the company in a non-partisan manner."

The appointment of the two non-executives is due to be announced shortly. As well as opposing the collapsed merger with Costcutter last year, the NMA also campaigned for much greater openness and better corporate governance at the buying group.

McCracken had been heavily involved in the dealings of the board surrounding the merger.

Meanwhile, Nisa has extended the responsibilities of retail trading director Steve Collins. Previously charged with looking after the group's ambient division, Collins will now be responsible for its temperature-controlled divisions as well. He will lead all strategic trading activity across Nisa-Today's frozen, chilled and ambient lines.

He will also take control of group services, which is responsible for negotiating the best deals on business services for Nisa-Today's members, and continue to report to John Sharpe, Nisa-Today's MD of central distribution trading and logistics.

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