Tony Reed (pictured), who previously spent 38 years with Tesco, has become chief executive of Palmer and Harvey.

His most recent posts with the retail multiple were as CEO of the One Stop convenience store chain (from 2010) and five years later as head of the Tesco Express and Tesco Metro formats – an additional responsibility to his One Stop role, meaning he was in charge of 2,800 stores. Reed’s appointment comes shortly after the departure of the delivered wholesaler’s CEO Helen Buck after less than a year in the job.

Additionally, P&H’s chairman and chief executive Chris Etherington becomes executive deputy chairman and Richard Grainger non-executive chairman. Etherington joined as chief executive in 2006. Grainger, currently chairman of McKay Securities, a publicly quoted commercial property investment company, and of debt management concern Harrington Brooks, has been a non-executive director of P&H for three years.

The Hove, East Sussex, company, whose total turnover in the year to the end of March was £4.44 billion, has also appointed Alistair Darby a non-executive director. He is a former chief executive of restaurant and pub chain Mitchells & Butler and a director of Marstons brewery.

Commenting on Reed’s appointment, Etherington said: “Tony’s deep experience of the retail sector will be extremely valuable to P&H, as well as his track record of driving growth, operational efficiency and his passion for developing people. He is ideally placed to drive our long-term strategy, further strengthen our customer proposition and embed our reputation for first-class service.”

Reed said: “Having worked closely (at Tesco) with P&H over the past four years, I have always found it to be a reactive and responsive business.”

Palmer & Harvey (01273) 2221000