Ahold Delhaize has announced the nomination of Thierry Garnier for appointment as a member of the management board and to serve as president and chief executive officer. The appointment is subject to shareholder approval, with Garnier expected to succeed Frans Muller around the AGM in April next year.

Garnier brings extensive international retail experience, having led Kingfisher plc, the owners of B&Q, since September 2019. He has been a non-executive director of Tesco plc since April 2021, serving on the remuneration committee, nominations & governance committee and the sustainability committee during his tenure.

Prior to joining Kingfisher, Garnier spent more than two decades at French supermarket giant Carrefour, where he held a range of senior roles including CEO of Carrefour International and CEO of Carrefour Asia. In 2016, he was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur (France).

He has also been a member of the board of EDRA/GHIN (the European DIY Retail Association and the Global Home Improvement Network.

Wiebe Draijer, chair of the supervisory board of Ahold Delhaize, praised Frans Muller’s “defining role”.

Draijer said: “We are pleased to nominate Thierry as our proposed next President and CEO. He is a seasoned leader with a strong track record in retail, digital transformation, deep international experience, and a clear focus on customers, associates and the future of grocery retail. Thierry’s approach to finding the right balance between leveraging group capabilities and staying close to local markets aligns well with Ahold Delhaize’s identity as a family of great local brands.”