A.F. Blakemore has appointed David Cooke to the newly created role of Group Commercial Director.
Cooke, who joined the food wholesaler and distributor earlier this month, has a background in trading, proposition, and product development gained through stints with companies such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, A.S. Watson, and latterly Dutch store chain HEMA.
At HEMA, he was Director of Food, Health & Beauty, overseeing divisions with a combined turnover of circa €500m. Prior to that, Cooke was Head of Branded Goods at A.S. Watson (Europe) Group AG, where he was responsible for the management of the commercial A-Brand partnerships across 12 European markets.
At A.F. Blakemore, Cooke will be tasked with creating and implementing a new commercial strategy aligned with the group’s five-year plan. His role will entail end-to-end accountability for the company’s commercial function, with a focus on developing supplier partnerships, managing commercial trading terms, developing retail propositions and accelerating the rollout of A.F. Blakemore’s fresh food strategy.
Cooke will report to Group CEO Jerry Marwood, who commented: “He brings significant commercial experience in developing strategic relationships with suppliers as well as a background in the development of exciting food propositions.
“David is a great fit for our culture, having been attracted to A.F. Blakemore because of our values and approach to responsible business.”
