FDBusiness.com

The board of Wm Morrison Supermarkets has appointed Rooney Anand (pictured), the current chief executive of UK brewer and pub operator Greene King, as non-executive director and as senior independent director, with effect from 1 January 2016. Rooney Anand is a highly experienced retail and fmcg executive. Following a career with United Biscuits and then Sara Lee, he joined Greene King in 2001 as managing director of its Brewery Company. He was appointed chief executive in 2005. Rooney Anand is credited with changing Greene King from a regional brewery and pub business, to a brand-led pub, restaurant and hotel operator. He has recently completed Greene King’s £770 million takeover of the Spirit Pub Group, which will make Greene King the largest managed pub group in the UK.

Andrew Higginson, chairman of Morrisons, says: “Rooney had the vision at the start of the credit crunch to reinvent Greene King as a branded food based pub retailer. He is a widely admired and successful Plc CEO. His experience in retail, in fmcg and in turning around the fortunes of a major retail business, will all be put to good use at Morrisons. With the recent appointments of Irwin Lee, Belinda Richards, Paula Vennells and Neil Davidson, I am also pleased to say that Rooney’s appointment completes the process of renewing and rebuilding the board of Morrisons.”