Wincanton has appointed a new chief executive after the decision by its current CEO Adrian Colman to retire.

Colman will be replaced by James Wroath, currently chief operating officer, North America, for Lufthansa subsidiary LSG Sky Chefs.

Wincanton said Colman, who has held the post of CEO for the past six years, will step down from its board in October.

In a statement announcing Wroath’s appointment Wincanton said it followed a comprehensive search process undertaken by the board’s nomination committee as part of its succession planning and supported by an external search firm.

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Before joining LSG Sky Chefs in 2015, Wroath held the post of senior vice president for Kuehne & Nagel in the UK and North America.

Prior to that, he worked in senior distribution roles with brewery group Scottish & Newcastle.

The company added that Wroath is expected to join Wincanton no later than the end of October.

It added: “In order to effect an orderly handover, Adrian will remain as chief executive and board director until that time.”

Dr Martin Read CBE, chairman of Wincanton, said: "We are delighted to have appointed a candidate of James' calibre and look forward to welcoming him to the board.

“He has deep experience in logistics and the broader business services environment and will be focused on exploiting Wincanton's respected market position, its extensive national coverage and its strong operational base to deliver profitable growth.

"On behalf of the board, I also want to acknowledge the significant contribution that Adrian has made during his six years with the group.

“During his tenure, Wincanton has successfully rebuilt its financial position and considerably improved the reliability of its earnings.

“We thank Adrian for his commitment and hard work and wish him all the very best for the future."

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