One of the biggest changes to come out of Sainsbury's massive shake-up of its retail operation (see news) is the creation of the regional business manager role. The team of 25 district managers reporting to retail operations directors will be replaced at the start of the next financial year by 18 regional business managers, who will report to the same directors. The role of regional business manager is a much broader one than that of district manager and Sainsbury hopes this ­ plus a simplified organisational structure ­ will provide an environment in which store teams can better compete with their rivals and deliver "outstanding" business results. Richard Waddington, Steve Bass, Stuart Hollamby, Stuart Machin, Andy Morrison, Kevin Plant, David Milburn, Ian Elkins, John Hayler, Gordon Silvester, Alan Gowans, Neil Whitehouse and Richard Scholes start work as regional business managers from February 4. Mark Ibbotson and Mark Hooper will become RBMs later in the year and Sainsbury will fill the remaining three posts with external candidates. Chris Daniels, Mike Fountain, Geraldine Galway, Nigel Wade and Terry Wells are being offered senior head office roles. {{PEOPLE MOVES }}

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