Supermarket giant Tesco has appointed Andrew Woolfenden as its new UK distribution director, following the naming last week of former incumbent Alex Laffey as chief executive of Eddie Stobart.

Woolfenden, who has already taken up his new job, has held numerous senior roles within Tesco, most recently an 11 month stint as retail director with responsibility for 200 stores in the south of the UK.

He also worked as distribution director for fresh and frozen foods at the supermarket chain for more than two and a half years from August 2010, with responsibility for 12,000 warehouse and transport staff across 12 DCs.

A spokeswoman for the retailer – which recently posted a £6.37bn loss for its last financial year and has since completed the closure of 43 unprofitable stores – declined to say what targets or changes Woolfenden might be asked to achieve in his new role.

“Everything we have to say around our results is on our website. We wouldn’t have anything further to add,” she stated.

In its results announcement on 22 April, however, the retailer confirmed that following its record loss it had met with over 100 suppliers recently, “creating new business plans to drive volume growth through a more focused range and create cost efficiencies throughout the whole supply chain”.

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