Aldi director Julie Ashfield will take over as head of buying when longstanding managing director of corporate buying Tony Baines retires next year.
Baines will retire at the end of 2017 after more than 22 years of service at Aldi, having joined just after the business first opened in the UK. He has been instrumental in setting up the buying function and building supplier relationships, which have helped Aldi become the UK’s fastest growing supermarket, the company said.
After a period of transition working alongside Baines, Ashfield will oversee Aldi’s UK buying function and will have responsibility for sourcing all food and non-food products.
Joining the business in 1999 as an area manager after graduating from university, Ashfield later joined the buying team, before working as a group buying director in chilled for the last eight years.
She said: “I look forward to working alongside Tony during the coming year and, from 2018, leading the UK buying department to build on our success as the UK’s fastest growing supermarket retailer.”
Aldi UK and Ireland CEO, Matthew Barnes, said: “Tony has played a key role in our business for over 22 years. With more than half of our total sales generated from British-sourced products, and suppliers consistently voting Aldi the best supermarket to do business with, his approach has been hugely influential in enabling us to deliver what our customers want - outstanding quality products at unbeatable prices.”
Baines said helping to develop Aldi into a key player in UK grocery has been a career highlight. “I’m immensely proud to have worked with some of the most dynamic and committed people in the industry. I am sure that the business will continue to grow in the UK, and I wish Julie and the buying team every success in the future,” he added.
Barnes added: “We wish Tony a happy and prosperous retirement, and are confident that Julie will continue to build on the fantastic relationships that Tony has established with both our suppliers and our customers.
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