Sainsbury’s director of property development Philip Bell-Brown has been poached by Dixons to assist with merging its stores with Carphone Warehouse.

Bell-Brown returns to Dixons after three years at Sainsbury’s. He was previously group property director at the electricals retailer and he will take up the same role there during the merger with Carphone Warehouse.

It is understood he will be in charge of bringing together the two retailers’ store estates.

It comes after the merger with Carphone Warehouse and Dixons Retail was approved by both the companies’ shareholders at separate annual general meetings last week.

Bell-Brown has also worked as head of property at Halfords and head of acquisitions at Boots.

Sainsbury’s named Dean Clegg as head of property earlier this year.

Sainsbury’s chief financial officer John Rogers said: “Over the last three years Philip has played a key role in increasing our market share by growing our property portfolio and delivering a significant number of new stores. We wish him all the best in his new role.”

Following shareholder approval Dixons chief executive and chief executive designate of Dixons Carphone Sebastian James, said: “The mobile and electrical markets are converging rapidly, with the connected world becoming reality.

“Through this merger, we can help people choose exactly the right products and connectivity for their own lives, but also provide services that bring these products to life and keep them working each and every day.”

The shareholder approval paves the way for the completion of the merger on August 7 and comes after the deal won unconditional approval from the European Commission last month.

Carphone Warehouse chief executive Andrew Harrison and deputy chief executive designate of Dixons Carphone added: “The connected world requires expertise and support to be able to bring these technologies to life and ensure they do what they intend to do: make our lives better.”

Last week it emerged that Carphone Warehouse is in discussions with telecoms firm Three to launch own-brand mobile services, which could also extend to ‘internet of things’ products.