A FORMER supermarkets specialist has been appointed new chief executive at out-of-town discount chain Matalan.
Darren Blackhurst will replace former head Alistair McGeorge, who stepped down last September at the Skelmersdale-based business founded by Liverpool docker’s son John Hargreaves in 1985.
Mr Blackhurst began his career at Tesco in 1988, and spent 18 years with the supermarket, where he held various buying and commercial roles.
He moved to rival Asda in 2006 to become food trading director and played a key role in reinvigorating the chain.
In May last year, he left Asda and had been touted as a successor to former Asda chief executive Andy Bond.
Last year, Matalan failed to generate satisfactory offers for a proposed sale, but has been linked with a possible flotation.
Alison Loveday, from Berg Legal, who represented Mr Blackhurst in talks with Matalan, said: “This appointment demonstrates Matalan’s intention for exciting growth over the next few years.”
