Mark Price named as replacement
Waitrose managing director Steve Esom will leave the supermarket chain after 11 years.

Speculation is rife that he is to take a key role at Marks & Spencer.

John Lewis Partnership managing director of partnership development Mark Price has been appointed Waitrose managing director and will start on April 30.

JLP chairman Charlie Mayfield said: 'With responsibility for selling and marketing at Waitrose for over 7 years, he [Price] has played a key part in Waitrose's success and recently has been the architect of many of our plans for future growth. It is now appropriate that he now has the opportunity to implement many of those plans as Waitrose managing director.'