Darren Blackhurst leaves B&Q for Morrisons

The Grocer Morrisons has hired B&Q commercial director Darren Blackhurst as their new group commercial director.

Blackhurst is expected to join Morrisons within weeks and has been hired mainly for his grocery experience, which includes a group trading director position at both Asda and Tesco.

Morrisons has been without a commercial director since November 2012 after it parted company with Richard Hodsgon over concerns its fresh food proposition was being insufficiently communicated.

Blackhurst joined B&Q in January 2014 and was brought on board at the DIY retailer for his experience at big retailers with value propositions and his ability to speak French, which came in useful due to Kingfishers efforts to achieve synergies between B&Q and their French sister brands Castorama and Brico Brico Dépôt.

Blackhurst’s appointment comes after Casper Meijer stepped down from his role as group trading director in April, which followed less than a month after new boss David Potts cut five members of its executive board.

Morrisons declined to comment but the grocer is expected to formally announce Blackhurst’s appointment at its first quarter trading update tomorrow.

Source: Retail Week.