The boss of Asda’s George has carried out a wide-ranging management restructure less than three months into the role, in an effort to drive growth at grocer’s £2 billion clothing business.

George managing director Anthony Thompson has appointed Andrew Moore, one of his former colleagues at Marks & Spencer, to the new position of director of supply chain and merchandising. Dan Siddons will take the role of acting merchandising director until Moore joins in February.

Thompson has also promoted Graeme Douglas to George category director of supply chain and distribution. George chief operating officer Mark Daynes will leave the business to pursue other opportunities.

Moore joins from Woolworths in South Africa. However, he made his name alongside Thompson at M&S where his last role was director of general merchandise planning.

Moore, who worked with George Davies to set up and launch Per Una, said: “I have always seen George as a pioneering brand with a terrific heritage.”

Thompson, who joined George in September, said Moore “brings a wealth of experience in the critical area of supply chain and merchandising and will be a strong addition to the team.”

Thompson was M&S retail director, but left in April after becoming frustrated with the concentration of power at the top of M&S under chief executive Stuart Rose.

Sainsbury’s is searching for its first director of strategy. The new role will cover potential acquisitions and the grocer has picked headhunter Egon Zehnder to carry out the search.

Retail convenience store consultancy SRCG director Scott Annan said Sainsbury’s could potentially acquire Somerfield within two years.

He added that it is more likely it will first try to acquire a smaller independent convenience or supermarket chain, such as upmarket Booths, which uses Nisa Today’s supply network.