Suppliers and rival retailers are expecting Tesco to take a different approach to buying once Richard Brasher takes over what is arguably the most important trading role in grocery early next year.
Brasher was this week confirmed as the successor to John Gildersleeve, Tesco’s revered and feared commercial and trading director, who will retire at the end of next March.
His appointment was one of a number of changes made as part of a reshuffle of the board that will also see logistics and IT director Philip Clarke take responsibility for Tesco’s international operations from December (see p22 for details).
Described by analysts as chief executive Sir Terry Leahy’s “blue eyed boy”, Brasher has long
been tipped as the favourite to take over from Gildersleeve.
“Brasher was always going to take over from John when he retired,” said one top supplier.
“There were rumours he might get poached so they have nailed him down with the job.”
Other grocery suppliers feel Brasher is an unknown quantity, given that for the past three years he has been running Tesco’s non-food commercial and trading activities.
Before that the 42-year-old was UK marketing director, which has prompted others to speculate he will put more emphasis on a marketing-led approach to trading.
The key thing, said one supplier, was how he would change the way the buying teams did business. “It will be interesting to see what kind of difference he makes given that he comes from a very different background.”
Commenting on the appointment, group director of corporate affairs Lucy Neville-Rolfe said: “Richard is a very popular appointment internally. He’s a very intelligent team player with a reputation for getting things done. He has done a great job pushing non-food.”
She said the announcement had been made earlier than many in the trade had expected to allow a sufficient handover period. She hinted that announcements of changes to the trading team would come sooner rather than later.
But she would not be drawn on whether Terry Price, who joined Tesco’s non-food team from Wal-Mart earlier this year, was in line to take on Brasher’s current role.
Neither would she be drawn on the ramifications of Brasher’s appointment for respected contemporaries such as Colin Smith and Dido Harding.
Brasher, who joined Tesco from Ranks Hovis McDougall in 1983, told The Grocer: “It’s obviously a fantastic and exciting opportunity to join the board of Tesco and I look forward to continuing to develop the food and non-food ambitions in the years ahead.”
>>p22, Movers & Shakers
The Grocer news team
Brasher was this week confirmed as the successor to John Gildersleeve, Tesco’s revered and feared commercial and trading director, who will retire at the end of next March.
His appointment was one of a number of changes made as part of a reshuffle of the board that will also see logistics and IT director Philip Clarke take responsibility for Tesco’s international operations from December (see p22 for details).
Described by analysts as chief executive Sir Terry Leahy’s “blue eyed boy”, Brasher has long
been tipped as the favourite to take over from Gildersleeve.
“Brasher was always going to take over from John when he retired,” said one top supplier.
“There were rumours he might get poached so they have nailed him down with the job.”
Other grocery suppliers feel Brasher is an unknown quantity, given that for the past three years he has been running Tesco’s non-food commercial and trading activities.
Before that the 42-year-old was UK marketing director, which has prompted others to speculate he will put more emphasis on a marketing-led approach to trading.
The key thing, said one supplier, was how he would change the way the buying teams did business. “It will be interesting to see what kind of difference he makes given that he comes from a very different background.”
Commenting on the appointment, group director of corporate affairs Lucy Neville-Rolfe said: “Richard is a very popular appointment internally. He’s a very intelligent team player with a reputation for getting things done. He has done a great job pushing non-food.”
She said the announcement had been made earlier than many in the trade had expected to allow a sufficient handover period. She hinted that announcements of changes to the trading team would come sooner rather than later.
But she would not be drawn on whether Terry Price, who joined Tesco’s non-food team from Wal-Mart earlier this year, was in line to take on Brasher’s current role.
Neither would she be drawn on the ramifications of Brasher’s appointment for respected contemporaries such as Colin Smith and Dido Harding.
Brasher, who joined Tesco from Ranks Hovis McDougall in 1983, told The Grocer: “It’s obviously a fantastic and exciting opportunity to join the board of Tesco and I look forward to continuing to develop the food and non-food ambitions in the years ahead.”
>>p22, Movers & Shakers
The Grocer news team
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