After a turbulent ten months in charge of the Co-op, Euan Sutherland is back, taking on the chief executive role at SuperGroup.

Sutherland took over the Co-op ahead of the biggest crisis the mutual faced in its long history. He had to deal with a £1.5bn blackhole in its bank, which it emerged was being chaired by a drug-taking chairman, and facedconstant leaks to the press from boardroom assassins.

The well-respected retail boss resigned disheartened after ten months at the top, calling the mutual “ungovernable”.

However, just seven months later, the likeable Scot is back and raring to go with plans to turn SuperGroup into a global brand.

Sutherland has lots of international experience. He was chief operating officer at Kingfisher before he joined the Co-op, and has held roles at global giants Coca Cola and Mars.

Co-operative Group, was seen as the “heir apparent” to Kingfisher boss Ian Cheshire, according to independent analyst Nick Bubb.

The 43-year old was initially responsible for the domestic business, as chief executive of Kingfisher UK & Ireland, and oversaw a rise in UK and Ireland profits from a low of £132m to £271m.

Kingfisher did its utmost to keep Sutherland, promoting him to the position of group chief operating officer in February, handing him the critical task of leading group sourcing initiatives, as well as developing the retailer’s important eco business.

He is also responsible for IT, Property and Human Resources as well as the increasingly important Screwfix trade business.

Sutherland is also a regular speaker at industry events. And he’s an innovative thinker as well – the B&Q Youth Board was his project, opening up the company to fresh ideas by allowing bright teenagers to give their thoughts on everything from the business model to eco-products.

He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty either – or his nails painted, if stories regarding his time at Superdrug are anything to go by.

While he has proved adept at selling nails as well as nail polish, how will he fair in the food game? Sutherland is a marketing man by trade – he held marketing roles at companies ranging from Mars to Matalan.

Yet he has impressive operational skills too, which will prove invaluable while managing SuperGroup’s rapid expansion.

When he’s not making the tills ring, Sutherland enjoys country life. He keeps chickens and loves driving his Massey Ferguson tractor - he should fit into life well at SuperGroup’s Gloucestershire base.

CV

Age 43

Family Married, with three sons

Interests Rugby, Formula One

Previously worked at Superdrug, Currys, Matalan, Mars Confectionery, Coca-Cola