J Sainsbury plc today announces a new, more focussed structure for our Operating Board with a significantly reduced number of Operating Board Directors, as the Group looks ahead to the next phase of our strategy, to be announced next month.
From the beginning of February, Graham Biggart, Chief Transformation Officer, will take on commercial responsibility for General Merchandise and Clothing across Sainsbury's and Argos, in order to further accelerate both our transformation and our performance. Combined with his existing accountabilities, Graham will become Chief Transformation and General Merchandise Commercial Officer. Matt Leeser, currently Business Unit Director - Seasonal, Toys and Electricals, will step into an expanded role to become General Merchandise Commercial Director, reporting into Graham.
These changes to our leadership of General Merchandise come as Paula Nickolds, General Merchandise Commercial Director, has made the decision to leave the business to become CEO of The White Company, starting at the end of March. Over the past three years, Paula has led much progress across our Brands that Deliver strategy, making Argos, Habitat and Tu considerably stronger and more competitive than pre-pandemic and she leaves a strong team in place.
Rhian Bartlett, currently on the Operating Board as Food Commercial Director, will become Chief Food Commercial Officer, recognising the continued acceleration of our Food First strategy.
Sainsbury's Bank
Today we announced the completion of a strategic review of our Financial Services division. In order to improve the financial services offered to customers and consistent with the clear focus on our retail businesses, we are exploring a number of options. Financial services products that we continue to offer in the future will be provided by dedicated financial services providers through a distributed model. We already do this successfully with our insurance products. Over time this will result in a phased withdrawal from our core Banking business. There will be no immediate changes to the products or services that we provide to our customers.
Jim Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Sainsbury's Bank, has decided to retire. Jim joined the business in 2019 and his successful strategy to align Financial Services to loyal Sainsbury's customers, whilst also strengthening and simplifying the business, resulted in the Bank paying its first dividend in 2022.
We have appointed Robert Mulhall as Jim's successor. Robert is an experienced retail banking leader with a strong track record of delivering successful transformation. Until 2022 Robert was the CEO of Allied Irish Bank's (AIB) UK division, having previously led AIB's Irish retail banking division. Since 2022, Robert has led the global financial services consulting business of VISION Consulting, focused on business transformation. Robert will take up the role as CEO of Sainsbury's Bank at the end of March after a period of handover. Robert's appointment is subject to regulatory approval. As we plan our withdrawal, Robert will report into the Bank Board and connect into the Sainsbury's Operating Board via Blathnaid Bergin, our Chief Financial Officer.
Company Secretary
Tim Fallowfield has decided to retire from his role as Company Secretary and Corporate Services Director at our AGM in July, after more than 22 years with Sainsbury's. Tim joined the business in 2001, becoming an Operating Board Director in 2004 and he has made a major contribution to Sainsbury's. His role as our Board sponsor for disability and carers and his leadership and support to the Government in raising awareness of the benefits of recruiting, retaining and developing disabled people led to his being awarded an OBE in the 2020 New Years Honours List.
Simon Roberts, Chief Executive of J Sainsbury plc said: 'As we look ahead to the next phase of our strategy, I'm pleased to confirm this new structure for our Operating Board, which will help us become even more focused and further accelerate our transformation and performance. I would like to thank Jim, Paula and Tim, who have each made an outstanding contribution to the success of Sainsbury's and we wish them all the very best for the future. I look forward to sharing more on the next phase of our plan at our forthcoming Strategy Update, building on all we've done to put food back at the heart of Sainsbury's.
'It's business as usual for now at Sainsbury's Bank and there will be no immediate changes to products and services as a result of today's announcement. We will of course communicate directly to customers well in advance of any changes to their products and services.'
J SAINSBURY PLC 
