Mark White will take over the role of Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) when Christine Tacon steps down later in the year.
Tacon had been due to depart in June after seven years in the role. However, it was announced in April that she would continue as GCA for a period of up to six months in order to provide continuity to the sector during the coronavirus pandemic.
White will work alongside her as Deputy GCA to allow for a handover of responsibilities.
White currently serves as a Non-Executive Chairman of Digital Reconnaissance, a cyber protocol employee reference checking company. He is also Member of the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) and of the Lower Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) at HM Courts & Tribunal Service where he is responsible for hearing appeals against decisions from the Financial Conduct Authority and the Ministry of Justice in a range of financial services and claims management cases.
Prior to that, White was the Group General Counsel, Company Secretary and Executive Board Member at catering giant Compass Group where he was responsible for legal, governance, the annual report, compliance and insurance. He has also worked as a solicitor.
Announcing the appointment, Small Business Minister Paul Scully said: “Mark White’s extensive experience will bring valuable insight to this important role, providing support to the groceries sector through these difficult times.
“I look forward to working with him to ensure a level playing field between grocers and suppliers.”
White added: “I welcome the opportunity to build on Christine’s work and as GCA my objective will be to drive forward the progress that has been made to date. As the annual survey has shown, much has been achieved, but there is still more to be done and I welcome the government’s commitment in its response to the Statutory Review to work with me to help suppliers feel empowered to raise issues in confidence with the GCA and their retailers directly.
“The exceptional times in which we find ourselves demonstrate the importance of a constructive relationship between the retailers and their suppliers, as well as the Code’s resilience in shaping those relationships. I intend to build relationships across the sector – most importantly with the retailers, suppliers and trade bodies – while I carry out the role of Deputy to Christine in the short term. In that way, I will be in a strong position to work on future issues as her successor and the UK’s second GCA.”
