Leadership movements in UK Food & Retail
The UK food and retail sectors continue to evolve at pace, shaped by shifting consumer expectations, supply chain challenges, and the increasing emphasis on omnichannel excellence. As these pressures mount, businesses are making bold strategic hires to secure leadership talent capable of steering transformation and growth.
At Consumer Exec, we specialise in identifying, engaging, and placing exceptional C-suite and executive-level professionals across food, beverage, and retail. The latest wave of senior appointments in these sectors showcases the type of agile, visionary leadership we’re proud to champion. Below, we round up key leadership movements shaping the future of UK retail and food—and what they signal for businesses across the sector.
Tesco Appoints Ashwin Prasad as UK CEO
In May 2025, Tesco confirmed the departure of Matthew Barnes, with Ashwin Prasad stepping up as UK CEO from June 30. Ashwin previously served as Tesco’s Chief Commercial Officer, having joined the executive team in 2020. Known for his resilience and commercial acumen, he has played a critical role in navigating recent global supply chain disruptions. His appointment reflects Tesco’s continued commitment to strong operational leadership and customer-led strategy at a time of industry-wide transformation.
Marks & Spencer Strengthens Executive Bench
M&S has made two major appointments that underline its ambition to modernise and sharpen its customer proposition. First, the arrival of Thinus Keeve as Retail Director on 6 June is a notable win for the brand. Thinus brings with him deep operational and leadership experience from his tenure at Coles in Australia. His role, reporting into Sacha Berendji (Operations Director), will encompass oversight of all UK and ROI stores and central operations.
Shortly before this, M&S also announced the appointment of John Lyttle as Managing Director for Clothing, Home & Beauty. Formerly CEO at Boohoo and with extensive experience at Primark, Lyttle is well-placed to supercharge M&S’s fashion and home performance. His digital retail expertise and strategic mindset will be crucial as M&S navigates both new growth opportunities and regulatory shifts in the EU.
Toolstation Welcomes Sam MacGregor as Retail Director
In a move that underlines the importance of experience-led retail strategy, Toolstation named Sam MacGregor as its new Retail Director in May. Sam brings with him decades of experience from B&Q, Homebase, and M&S, and will oversee more than 550 stores. This appointment supports Toolstation’s ongoing focus on accessibility, store innovation and long-term network optimisation.
Joe Pennington to Lead Retail at ProCook
Premium kitchenware brand ProCook welcomed Joe Pennington as Retail Director in March 2025, a pivotal hire during a period of aggressive store expansion. Joe’s leadership will be key in ensuring that ProCook’s customer experience remains as premium in-person as it is online. The appointment reinforces the brand’s emphasis on aligning digital and physical retail channels.
Morrisons Appoints Matt Heslop to Drive Convenience Strategy
In early March, Morrisons appointed Matt Heslop as Director of Convenience and Wholesale, a role designed to energise its convenience formats and third-party relationships. With the UK grocery sector seeing fierce competition in the local convenience space, Heslop’s appointment signals Morrisons’ intent to carve out a stronger position in this fast-moving channel.
Goddard Takes Charge at Harvey Nichols
Luxury department store Harvey Nichols is preparing for a renaissance under new CEO Julia Goddard, formerly of Alexander McQueen. Announced in March, her remit includes reshaping the in-store experience, developing a multi-year investment programme, and reasserting Harvey Nichols’ position as a destination for curated luxury retail. Goddard’s appointment is a bold signal that heritage retailers can—and should—innovate at pace.
Expert Talent for Transformative Brands
From high-street stalwarts like M&S and Tesco to growing challenger brands like ProCook and Toolstation, it’s clear that businesses are investing in visionary leadership with the commercial, operational, and digital experience needed to thrive.
At Consumer Exec, we partner with clients across this evolving sector to identify and place the talent that makes transformation possible. With deep expertise and a network built for speed and discretion, we are proud to help shape the leadership teams of tomorrow.
Interested in how we can help you build or refine your leadership team? Let’s talk.