LONDON: Alex Freudmann, currently Managing Director of Dan Murphy’s – Australia’s leading beer, wine and spirits retailer – will be joining M&S as Managing Director of Food in a planned succession to Stuart Machin, now (Marks and Spencer Group) M&S Chief Executive, a bourse filing noted.
Alex has an extensive track record of leading change in some of the world’s best food and drink retailers, including Tesco, Coles and Dan Murphy’s. He joined Dan Murphy’s, part of Endeavour Group, in January 2020 after a successful ten years as part of the Coles transformation team, latterly as Director of Fresh Food. In his two-year tenure at Dan Murphy’s, he has led significant changes, including a substantial shift to digital and online.
Alex will join M&S on 1 November and will sit on the Executive Committee. M&S is also confirming a change of responsibility for CEO Stuart Machin, who will hand over his Food accountabilities to Alex upon his arrival.
Stuart Machin, Chief Executive Officer, said, “Alex will bring a great deal of experience and passion to our business. He has worked in food retailing for nearly two decades and in all of his roles he’s been a change-maker – bringing intellect, pace and energy. He will be a great addition to our top team as we work together to deliver the next stage of our transformation.”
Alex Freudmann said, “M&S Food is a unique and very special business with world-leading food values, and I’ve always had huge respect for the brand. I’ve watched how the business has been transformed over the past few years from afar. The team has done a great job of building a bigger, better food business through investing in trusted value and core categories while maintaining the outstanding quality and innovation the brand is famous for.
Although much has been achieved, huge opportunities remain, and I share the Executive team’s belief in the long-term potential to double the size of the business. I am looking forward to coming back to the UK and working with a great team to accelerate the pace of change to build an even bigger, better, fresher Food business.”