People on the move

The global grocery market has announced a number of key executive appointments.

In the UK, Sainsbury's is poised to announce a replacement for convenience director Dido Harding, who is leaving the business in the spring to head up broadband provider Talk Talk.

Simon Twigger, Sainsbury's business unit director fresh & frozen foods, is hotly tipped to take over the role but is unlikely to replace Harding on Sainsbury's operating board.

Harding joined Sainsbury's two years ago from Tesco and has led development of the supermarket's convenience store strategy.

In 2009 the Sainsbury's announced it was expanding its Local convenience store business based on two models: neighbourhood shops and a city centre, food-on-the move format.

Trial sites were reported to have recorded sales uplifts of 25%.

In the first half of 2009 Sainsbury's opened 19 Locals and is on track to open 50 convenience stores by the end of the 2009/10 financial year and a further 100 in 2010/11.

In France, The Consumer Goods Forum has appointed Jean-Marc Saubade as managing director. Saubade joins The Consumer Goods Forum from senior management positions at Cadbury and Kraft Foods.

The Forum has also announced its co-chairman of the board of directors, AG Lafley, who is retiring as chairman from Procter & Gamble, will hand over to Muhtar Kent, vice-co chair representing the Manufacturer College and chairman and chief executive officer of the Coca-Cola Company, for the remainder of his mandate expiring in June 2010.

In the US Mintel International Group has appointed Pete Giannakopoulos as president of Mintel Americas' Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) business.

As president of Mintel CPG Americas, Giannakopoulos will oversee the continued expansion of Mintel's consumer and market research products, leveraging Mintel's global resources in the delivery of published and custom research to clients.

Dido Harding: new role