Metcash appoints former Warehouse Group NZ boss to the top job
Major Australian grocery wholesaler Metcash Ltd has appointed the former CEO of The Warehouse Group Ian Morrice as its new CEO.
Morrice will succeed current CEO Andrew Reitzer on 30 June 2013. Reitzer, who became CEO in 1998, will step down from the top job but remain employed by the company until the end of September. He will be retained as a consultant to the Board for three years.
The company supplies and markets most of Australia’s independent grocers such as IGA and Foodworks supermarkets, and independent liquor stores such as Cellarbrations and Bottle-O. The company also supplies independent automotive parts stores and hardware stores operating under the Mitre 10 banner.
Metcash said that Morrice’s strategic and retail expertise were exactly what the Board was looking for in the company’s new leader.
Morrice has 30 years of retail experience, including as managing director and senior director for some of the UK’s leading retailers, including Dixons and The Kingfisher Group. Most recently, he was chief executive from 2004 to 2011 of New Zealand’s Warehouse Group.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to lead such a dynamic company, which supports and promotes so many independent retailers across Australia,” Morrice said.
Metcash, which came back from a loss of $3.1 million in 1998 to make a profit of $262.5 million in 2012, has become a champion of independent retailers.
“Metcash has a strong and committed team who really understand our business and those of our independent retail customers. We will work hard to drive both network and volume growth at our customers to ensure our partnership is even more compelling,” he said.
