Morrisons’ management cull continues as Dutch director returns home

ANOTHER senior executive at supermarket Morrisons has left the business after declining to relocate permanently to the UK.

Casper Meijer will step down as group trading director at Morrisons with immediate effect, after choosing not to end his weekly commute from his Dutch home.

This comes after a cull of five top senior staff meant board members were almost halved as Morrisons’ chief executive David Potts takes steps to create a “leaner” organisation.

Mr Meijer has decided not to commit to living the majority of the time in Britain, as his family live in The Netherlands and he was having to commute there from Yorkshire every week.

Mr Meijer was poached from Albert Heijn, one of the biggest supermarket chains in the Netherlands, to become trading director of Morrisons in December 2012.

He will receive a pay-off equivalent to his annual salary, which has not been made public as Mr Meijer is not on the Morrisons board.

The external search for his successor will commence immediately.

Casper was appointed to the Morrisons’ management board in December 2012 and has since then been leading the company’s trading strategy with the objective of delivering lower prices, fewer and bigger promotions and a simpler shopping trip.

Morrisons chief executive David Potts said: “Casper has played an important role in starting the process of making Morrisons better value-for-money for customers.

“However, we both believe now is the right time for this crucial role to be taken by an executive who will dedicate all their efforts to living and working here in Britain.”

Andrew Pleasance, with nearly 30 years in the firm, will take on the role of group trading director on an interim basis.