McColl's chief executive Jonathan Miller steps down

McColl's Retail Group has announced that Jonathan Miller has stepped down from his role as chief executive and from the Board.

The retailer added that the search for the new chief executive is in progress, with Angus Porter, currently non-executive chairman, assuming the role of executive chairman on a temporary basis, pending the appointment of a new CEO.

Karen Bird, chief operating officer, will serve as the interim group chief executive to manage day-to-day executive responsibilities. Chief financial officer Giles David will also assume additional responsibilities.

Angus Porter said: "On behalf of the Board, I want to take this opportunity to thank Jonathan for the immense contribution he has made to McColl's and to pay tribute to his commitment in leading the business over the course of more than 30 years. We wish him all the very best in the future.

"As we discuss with our stakeholders the transformation of our business to a grocery-led convenience offer, Jonathan and the Board have agreed that now is the right time to bring in a new chief executive to lead the business into a new phase. In the meantime, we have a strong management team in place to take the business forward, and we are confident in our strategy to capitalise on the opportunity in the convenience sector in the years ahead."

Jonathan Miller said: "It has been an enormous privilege to work for McColl's for the last 30 years, most recently leading the business and transforming our offer in partnership with Morrisons. I have worked alongside so many talented and hardworking people and I am enormously grateful for the support I have had from the many thousands of colleagues in the business over many years.

"I remain a significant shareholder, and I leave confident that, with its clearly defined, convenience-led strategy and strong partnership with Morrisons, McColl's will continue to play a vital role at the heart of local communities across the UK."