MOVERS AND SHAKERS
14 ASIAN TRADER 19 SEPTEMBER 2025
Waitrose MD James Bailey
steps down
Keeping up with the latest industry
moves and promotions
Movers and Shakers
Unitas Wholesale, the largest
network of independent cash
and carry and delivered
wholesalers in the UK, has
announced the appointment of
wholesale figure David Cooke as
its first Chief Operating
Officer (COO).
As part of a restruc
ture of the executive
team, the move sees
John Kinney step into
the role of Chief Executive
Officer, following the recent
appointment of Gurms Athwal
as Trading Director. Gurms, who
now reports to David, has also
joined the Unitas Board.
Cooke will officially join
Unitas Wholesale in September
2025, ahead of the Group’s
annual conference in Marbella.
In his new role, he will oversee
Trading, Commercial, Market
ing and Retail, driving initiatives
designed to deliver even greater
value for members and suppli
ers.
John Kinney said, “David
brings a wealth of experience
and a proven track record
of driving growth
through strong supplier
and member collabora
tion. announced the
appointment of whole
sale figure David Cooke as its
first Chief Operating Officer
(COO).
As part of a restructure of the
executive team, the move sees
John Kinney step into the role of
Chief Executive Officer,
following the recent appoint
ment of Gurms Athwal as
Trading Director. Gurms, who
now reports to David, has also
joined the Unitas Board.
Unitas Wholesale appoints
David Cooke COO
The John Lewis Partnership
says that James Bailey has
decided to step down from his
role as managing director of
Waitrose later this year.
Bailey joined Waitrose in
2020 and successfully steered
the business through the
pandemic and the cost-of-living
crisis.
“James has done an out
standing job, overseeing signifi
cant transformation and
growth during a period of
change. He’s a great colleague
and has been a highly valued
member of the Executive
Team,” Jason Tarry, Chairman
of the Partnership, said.
“We will be sad to see James
go but understand and respect
his decision to step down after
five and a half years at the
helm. James will leave
Waitrose in a much stronger
position and I know will be
missed by everyone.”
Bailey previously spent 18
years at Sainsbury’s.
At Waitrose, he spearheaded
a push into the convenience
market, as the upmarket chain
opened its first convenience
store in six years in November
last year.
Bailey will continue in the
role through to the end of
September, and Tina Mitchell,
retail director for Waitrose, will
serve as the interim managing
director once he leaves.
John Lewis Partnership said
it has started the process to find
Bailey’s successor.
Jo Whitfield becomes
first female chair of BRC
Jo Whitfield, former chief execu
tive of Co-op Food, has been ap
pointed to succeed Andy Higgin
son as British Retail Consortium
(BRC) chair, when his tenure
comes to an end on 2 October.
She will be the first female
chair of the trade body, that
represents over 200 retailers and
brands and thousands of smaller
retailers through trade association
members.
Whitfield has 25 years’ experi
ence in retail, including leadership
roles at Matalan, the Co-operative
Group and Asda.
She is currently a non-execu
tive director and audit chair at Asda
and a non-executive and chair of
ethics committee at Factory Inter
national, host of the Manchester
International Festival.
Whitfield pre
viously founded
and chaired The Grocery Girls
network and was an Advisor and
Retail Sector Lead on the Women’s
Business Council. Whitfield also
played a leading industry role
campaigning alongside the BRC to
achieve better safety recognition
and a change to the law to protect
retail shopworkers.
“I’m honoured to be joining the
BRC as its first female Chair, and to
be supporting Helen and her team
at such a pivotal time,” Whitfield
said.
“I look forward to working
closely with Helen (Dickinson,
chief executive at the BRC) and
the team to ensure the interests of
our industry are championed and
protected.”
Parfetts announces new
Southampton GM
Parfetts has announced Graham
Barton as general manager of its
new Southampton depot, ahead of
its highly anticipated opening later
this year.
Barton brings a wealth of expe
rience from more
than four decades
in the wholesale
and retail sector,
including a 33-year
career at Palmer &
Harvey and a recent
management role at
Bestway’s Fareham
depot.
Parfetts’ ninth
depot marks the first new cash-
and-carry facility in the region in
25 years.
The 113,000 sq ft site at Hedge
End Retail Park will create over 100
jobs, providing a major boost to
the local economy and delivering
a fresh level of service and support
to independent retailers across the
South Coast and Greater London.
Graham Barton said, “It’s
an honour to be leading such a
committed and experienced team
at a time of real momentum for
Parfetts.
“There’s a huge
sense of pride and
excitement about
what we’re building
here, not just bricks
and mortar, but a
new level of service,
support and oppor
tunity for independ
ent retailers.
Joining Barton at
the helm of the Parfetts South
ampton depot is a strong senior
management team, including Stu
art Clark and Glenn Underwood
as supply chain managers, Hollie
Whitfield as delivered manager,
Nigel Drake overseeing goods-in,
and Elaine Walker managing front-
of-house operations.