Second net chief exits Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's has lost a second top member of its e-commerce team,

with news emerging this week that group director of e-commerce Patrick

McHugh has quit.

McHugh is understood to have left in June, but the news of his exit

coincides with that of e-commerce director Angela Megson, who announced

her resignation last week.

His departure came to light after the closure of Taste, Sainsbury's

food-related interactive joint venture with Carlton (Marketing, August

16).

McHugh has joined The Strategic Partnership as an e-business consultant.

He joined Sainsbury's as group director of e-commerce from EDS in March

last year.

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: "With the sale of Homebase and our

limited e-commerce investment in our US retail chain Shaws, the role of

group e-commerce director was no longer big enough and he decided to

leave."

As well as the ill-fated Taste, Sainsbury's e-commerce interests include

its Sainsbury's to You home shopping service.

Megson's successor is Robin Lassiter, a senior manager on the store

format team who becomes department director for Sainsbury's Online. He

reports to marketing director Sara Weller.

Weller, recently promoted to the additional title of assistant managing

director, has expanded a number of senior marketing roles.

Stephen Vowles, currently customer and category marketing director,

becomes customer marketing director, with additional responsibility for

customer management.

Brand marketing director Andrew Ground takes on responsibility for

product marketing. Claire Nicholson, marketing and planning director,

becomes planning and performance director.

This article was first published on Marketing