Simon Roberts, chief executive officer of Sainsbury’s, has been appointed as the new president of IGD by its board of trustees, the retailer said in a statement.
Roberts, an active member of IGD’s CEO Forum, will succeed Jason Tarry in the role. He will assume the role on 1 March 2024.
Roberts commented, “On behalf of the UK grocery industry, we thank Jason Tarry for his leadership in driving forward such an important agenda. IGD has a vital role to play in bringing the industry together to tackle the big issues we face and in helping us work towards creating a more resilient and sustainable food system for everybody.
“We can only achieve impactful change through collaboration and partnership across our industry and I’m excited about working with Sarah and all the members of the IGD to find innovative solutions which will make a genuine difference for all our colleagues, customers, suppliers and partners.”
Last year, Jason Tarry decided to part ways with Tesco in March 2024 after more than 33 years, including six years as chief executive of the UK business, the retailer noted.
Simon Roberts
Simon Roberts stepped in as the top boss of Sainsbury’s on 1 June 2020.
He joined the retail group in 2017 as retail and operations director, with responsibility for stores, central operations and logistics.
He has more than 30 years of experience in retail and started his career with Marks & Spencer. He joined Sainsbury’s from Boots, where he served as executive vice president of Walgreens Boots Alliance and president of Boots UK and Ireland.
Earlier this month, Sainsbury's reported a 7.4% rise in underlying sales for the key Christmas quarter and retained its profit guidance for the full year after.
