Unitas Wholesale’s directors announced
Darren Goldney named as merged company’s new managing director
The make up of the new Unitas Wholesale board has been announced, with a combination of Today’s Group and Landmark bigwigs taking the top positions.
Today’s Group’s Darren Goldney has been appointed as the new business’s managing director, with his Landmark counterpart, John Mills, taking the deputy managing director position. This means that Landmark chairman Sam Wilcox will become Unitas’s chairman, with JW Filshill’s Simon Hannah becoming deputy chairman.
The announcement follows last week’s news that members from Landmark Wholesale and Today’s Group voted overwhelmingly in favour of supporting the creation of Unitas Wholesale from 1 November 2018.
“We’re delighted to announce the appointment of Darren Goldney as managing director and John Mills as deputy managing director,” said Wilcox.
“Darren and John have worked hard and collaboratively over recent months to cut through previous organisational differences, and focus on the vision and strategy that will work for both groups’ members and suppliers in the long term and both boards thank them. Their complementary range of skills will be vital to drive our development agenda and bring the great experiences of both organisations together to form a new one.
“We are also pleased to announce the balance of the management executive. Andrew Thewlis is appointed as Finance Director, John Baines as Trading Director and John Kinney as Retail Director. All three bring fabulous experience, knowledge, skills and above all, they possess the determination to make Unitas a huge success.”
The union of two of the industry’s biggest wholesale buying groups will see Unitas boast a combined turnover in excess of £8bn and will represent wholesalers selling and distributing to thousands of outlets across every trade channel – and is billed as providing an excellent opportunity for suppliers and independent wholesalers to work together to drive greater efficiency and effectiveness in getting products and services to market.
On the back of the changes, Today’s Group’s Finance Director, John Schofield has taken the decision to retire from the business in May 2019.
“John has a long and distinguished track record of success with Nisa and Today’s Group and through that journey he has gained huge respect from members, suppliers and staff,” said Goldney.
“We are delighted that John has agreed to act as Transformation Director from the formation of Unitas until he leaves in May 2019.”
The full Unitas board is: Sony Bihal (Time Wholesale Services), Jim Cummiskey (Failte Foods), Manish Dhamecha (Dhamecha Foods), Simon Hannah (JW Filshill), George Hepburn (JWG), Chris Hughes (Regal Wholesale), Kali Mulchandani (Imperial Cash & Carry), Nick Ramsden (DB Ramsden), Amaan Ramzan (United Wholesale Grocers), James Russell (Blakemore Wholesale), Asim Sarwar (United Wholesale (Scotland)), Marcus Singh (Hyperama), Greg Suszczenia (AG Parfetts & Sons), Jay Suterwalla (Sutaka UK), Andrew Wild (Wilds of Oldham) and Don Wouhra (East End Foods).
Darren Goldney deal John Miils Landmark Wholesale merger Sam Wilcox Simon Hannah Today's Group Unitas Unitas Wholesale
