Retail Week speaks to headhunters and industry-watchers to determine which executives will be in charge of the UK’s biggest retailers over the next five years.

Graham Biggart, director of commercial operations, Sainsbury’s

Highly thought of by the Sainsbury’s board, it is understood that Graham Biggart is already viewed as a CEO-in-making at the grocer after an impressive five-year tenure.

As director of commercial operations, Biggart has a wide-ranging remit that includes responsibility for the P&L of the Sainsbury’s Local convenience business, as well as store format and design across both Sainsbury’s and Argos, pricing and promotions, commercial strategy and commercial transformation. He also heads up the Argos business in Ireland.

Biggart comes from a communications background, starting his career at Thomson Reuters before switching to City flacks Brunswick, which would have helped him develop some of the skills required of a Plc boss such as building a rapport with the media and the City.

He moved to Sainsbury’s as head of range and space in 2015, following a five-year stint at McKinsey. In addition to his role at the big-four grocer, Biggart also sits on the board of not-for-profit business organisation GS1 and is a member of its audit and risk committee.

Nicola Thompson, chief operating officer, Made.com

Nicola Thompson, who joined furniture etailer Made.com last month as its chief operating officer, is a newcomer to the world of big-ticket – but in terms of retail, she is a dab hand.

Nicola Thompson MADE 1

Having graduated from Manchester University with a geography degree, Thompson quickly made a name for herself in the world of fashion retail, starting out on the ecommerce and core merchandising team at Topshop Topman before going on to work at Whistles and Atterley Road.

Prior to joining Made, Thompson had spent over five years at Asos, culminating as global customer development director. Executive search firm Bailey Montagu’s consumer and retail partner Victoria Nightingale says Thompson’s international experience at Asos will hold her in good stead to hit the ground running at Made.

“Going in as chief operating officer will mean her role is all about international, new platforms and customer acquisition, which she already has form in. If she can get that done then the world is her oyster – she’ll have boutique and big-ticket, fashion and homewares, under her belt, all with a keen focus on digital,” she says.

Clarity Search founder Fran Minogue also tips Thompson for the top. 

”Nicola is an extremely bright, strategic and pacey senior commercial executive who brings a powerful combination of strong passion for the customer, product and retail as well as people and culture,” she says.

“She is a truly inspirational and engaging leader who is able to galvanise teams behind her exciting vision and clarity of thinking.”

Sarah Morgan, commercial director, Pep&Co

Sarah Morgan may have been at Poundland’s burgeoning fashion arm Pep&Co for a little under two years, but she has already made a significant impact on how the business division operates.

“She’s delivered a whole load of growth for Pep&Co and has been integral in changing up the product and price architecture, as well as bringing some real fashionability into the range,” says Nightingale.

Pep&Co is the growth engine of Poundland’s sales and Morgan has been integral in this. It’s a performance that is in keeping with her career to date.

Having started her career in retail as head of buying and merchandising at George at Asda, Morgan went on to become head of merchandising for furniture, home clothing and footwear at Tesco before joining Wiggle as commercial director. 

Nightingale says Morgan’s career background to date makes her a formidable leadership candidate for retail businesses of different sectors and scales.

“Wiggle and Tesco are very male-dominated environments from a leadership perspective and she can – and does – absolutely hold her own. She is number-savvy with a good eye for product,” says Nightingale.

Mark Pettigrew, innovation and format director, Co-op

A grocery retail lifer, Mark Pettigrew started his career at Sainsbury’s as a student, then as a trainee manager in the supermarket’s graduate programme.

Mark Pettigrew

He subsequently joined Tesco in September 2006, as space, range and display design manager. He was at the UK’s largest grocer for eight years, including a year-and-a-half helping to set up Tesco’s Thai business.

Since joining the Co-op as director of format, space and range in June 2015, he has led on a number of innovative projects. The Co-op trialled its first till-less store in early 2018 and Pettigrew played a key role in rolling out a further 30 of the cashless convenience stores in 2019.

He also helped to bring John Lewis click-and-collect points to Co-op stores to help drive footfall and make its stores more convenient.

Eve Henrikson, online trading director, Tesco

With ecommerce an increasingly important part of retail, it’s unsurprising that an online leader has made the list

Minogue has put forward Tesco online trading director Eve Henrikson as a CEO of the future.

Henrikson has been at Tesco for five years, leading its £3.6bn online business.

She was previously head of ecommerce at Ted Baker and has more than 15 years experience managing digital including strategy, marketing, product, fulfilment and customer service.

Minogue says: “Her customer-centric approach is evident as she strives to constantly simplify and enhance the online experience to create a seamless journey for the consumer.

“She is left/right brained – incredibly analytical and data driven but with a high taste level and creative flair whose fast career trajectory is inspirational to younger women coming up through the ranks.”

Henrikson already has lots of management experience, leading sizeable teams from very early in her career. “Her behavioural traits and leadership exemplify those of a modern future CEO,” insists Minogue.

Paul Solly, trading director, Matalan

Paul Solly has been trading director for Matalan for just shy of four years, but in that time has made a significant impact on its product range and market proposition, as well as playing an integral part in the clothing and homeware retailer’s recent marketing campaign with Mark Wright and Denise Van Outen.

Paul Solly

Solly is a seasoned hand in product, having climbed the ranks at Marks & Spencer, where he began as a commercial store manager before going on to merchandising roles across menswear, womenswear and home.

From there, Solly went on to become home and furniture category director at Tesco before heading to Matalan.

His experience across different product categories and retailers of various sectors and scale means Nightingale believes Solly is in a strong position to take the helm at a retail business.

She says: “Solly has a great reputation – he is absolutely primed to take the helm of a small-to-medium-sized retailer, run with it and do some really innovative things.”

Anthony Hemmerdinger, senior vice president, retail operations, Asda

Anthony Hemmerdinger has more than 20 years of retail experience. He cut his teeth at M&S where he worked in both the retail and business change divisions

He’s had two stints at Sainsbury’s, firstly running its stores in London and the south and more recently heading up its telecoms business, and worked as Carphone Warehouse retail director in between the two posts.

Hemmerdinger joined Asda in 2016 to run its retail business in the south, after just over a year leading Greene King’s local pubs, and was last year promoted to his current role and a position on the grocer’s executive board.

His remit now includes retail, logistics and supply chain

Minogue says: “Anthony has proven his ability to run large and complex teams and structures across both hospitality and retail. An inspirational people leader, he is definitely one to watch for the future.”

Sarah Carpenter, strategy director, Sainsbury’s

American Sarah Carpenter is another Sainsbury’s executive on the path to great things. 

Carpenter is hugely regarded by Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe and is understood to have played a pivotal role in the grocer’s acquisition of Argos. 

She used to work for Home Retail Group, so her insider knowledge was crucial, not only during the bid but in the successful integration of the business. 

The Harvard and Wharton-educated executive, who joined Sainsbury’s in 2012 from Boots, is an increasingly prominent voice in the grocer’s boardroom as she hones the skills to take a CEO role in the future.

Ashwin Prasad, commercial director, packaged foods UK, Tesco

An MBA graduate from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, New Zealander Ashwin Prasad began his career working in the gas industry.

He made the move to FMCG, joining Mars as European commercial director before joining its UK and Irish leadership team, then stepped into retail.

After three years with Mars, which has bred notable retail leaders such as ex-Asda boss Allan Leighton and former Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King, Prasad joined supermarket giant Tesco in 2010.

Ashwin Prasad

He started off running the grocer’s £1bn confectionary category, before branching out as category director of household, pet and pound shop.

In November 2018, after stints heading up general merchandise, bakery and health and beauty, Prasad was promoted to his current role as commercial director of packaged foods.

An industry source tipped Prasad to be a potential successor to new Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy due to his wide understanding of the grocer’s business.

“He’s basically a mini-MD already,” he says. “He’s got a broad understanding of the various categories within the wider Tesco business, which will set up for a CEO-ship in the future.”