Sainsbury's mourns loss of sourcing star to Tesco

Sainsbury's has lost a senior executive, seen as key to its new push into non-food, to bitter rival Tesco.

Head of sourcing for non-food Christophe Roussel joins Tesco next month as international sourcing director.

At Sainsbury's non-food launch in October, the grocer's head of general merchandise Keith Evans said he had recruited Roussel to drive the new global sourcing strategy. He described Roussel as a 'tremendous individual, world class with great experience.' A replacement is yet to be announced.

Roussel will report to Tesco chief executive for clothing John Hoerner, and is expected to play a pivotal role in driving the grocer's growth in fashion.

Prior to his 11-month stint at Sainsbury's, Roussel headed Carrefour's global sourcing.

It has also emerged that Stuart Machin, Sainsbury's retail operations director for the eastern region and viewed by insiders as a rising star, has left to join Tesco's director development programme. On joining he will be responsible for Tesco's Southeast area.

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said of the departures: 'We were sorry to see them go.'

Peter King, retail operations director responsible for Sainsbury's northern region, has replaced Machin.

Separately, Sainsbury's faces unrest at its Haydock distribution centre after 800 staff overwhelmingly rejected a pay offer.

Usdaw has given the grocer until today to come back with the£8 per hour that employees claim Sainsbury's promised them, or there will be a ballot on industrial action.

Sainsbury's denies promising£8 an hour, but would not comment on whether it would meet the workers' demands.