Rami Baitiéh, the former chief executive of Carrefour France, has been named as the new CEO of Morrisons.
Baitiéh will assume the position in November and will collaborate closely with David Potts, who has served as Morrisons chief executive for nine years, for a handover period.
Baitiéh has been with Carrefour since the nineties, beginning as a purchase and organisation manager in 1995 and progressing through to chief executive roles in Taiwan, Argentina and Spain before becoming CEO of Carrefour France in June 2020.
Baitiéh said: “Morrisons holds a special place for shoppers across the UK and I am honoured to be joining the business to help build on the strong links the company has with its loyal customers and the communities where it operates. As a manufacturer, wholesaler and seller of food, Morrisons is uniquely positioned to grow in the coming years while remaining deeply focused on customer satisfaction.
“I also want to acknowledge the talented and hard-working members of the Morrisons team who continue to make Morrisons an employer of choice in Britain. Our people are our great strength and I see tremendous opportunity for team development in the coming months and years. I look forward to building on David’s strong legacy of always putting shoppers first and thank him for his help in the transition.”
CD&R – which owns Morrisons – senior adviser Sir Terry Leahy said: “Rami is an exceptionally talented and highly capable leader with a strong track record of driving performance wherever he has been posted. Rami will bring energy, innovation and dedication to expanding Morrisons loyalty programmes and digital reach, while ensuring that the company’s long legacy of quality, and mission to deliver value for shoppers is preserved.
“I also want to thank David for his nine years of dedicated service to Morrisons and our customers. This is a bittersweet farewell for me because I have known and worked with David for decades but I will be happy to see the start of his next adventure. David skilfully led the renewal of the Morrisons brand as well as navigating several twists and turns during his tenure, including the Covid pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, but he leaves the company poised for growth. He spearheaded Morrisons’ acquisition and integration of McColl’s, expanding the business’s footprint into convenience, and recently relaunched the successful Morrisons More Card loyalty programme. We are grateful for his extraordinary service and wish him all the best.”
Potts added: “Serving as Morrisons chief executive for the last nine years has been the privilege of my working life. There have been so many highlights but the way all our colleagues rose to the immense challenge of the Covid pandemic, fed the nation and made sure no one was left behind will stay with me forever.
“Rami is joining a very special company with talented and dedicated colleagues and a unique position in British grocery, food making and farming. The Q3 results today show that the business is once again on a steady growth path with plenty of opportunities ahead and I’m full of confidence about its future. In my remaining time as CEO, I will be working hard to prepare for the handover and I look forward to giving Rami all the assistance and advice that he needs during the transition.
“Terry and I have had several conversations about succession since the buyout in 2021. We had a clear understanding that I was prepared to devote several more years to Morrisons if that was required but that if an outstanding successor was identified who could lead Morrisons for the long term, then I would step down.
“After a reasonable shift on the frontline of British grocery retailing, I’m looking forward to a short break with my family and will then look for further ways to contribute to business and to the UK’s economic recovery from the pandemic. I will continue to be an investor, supporter and advocate for Morrisons and look forward to watching its continued progress and development for many years to come.”
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