Food and drink business AF Blakemore has recruited Nicola McIntosh to be its new chief people officer, effective 20 May.
McIntosh joins from Rotherham, Doncaster, and South Humber NHS Trust, where she served as executive board director of people and organisational development. She led a team of 120 and played a role in navigating the trust’s workforce through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prior to that, she held leadership positions at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Jet2Holidays and Morrisons, where she established a reputation for delivering learning and development programmes, organisational development strategies, and leadership development initiatives.
McIntosh said: “I’ve loved my time at the NHS but I’m delighted to move back into retail where my experience and knowledge of championing performance can be used across all functions and disciplines. I thrive in organisations where the culture prioritises their people and it was clear that AF Blakemore, while employing a workforce of over 7,000 people, still retained the family values that are at the heart of its DNA.”
Carol Welch, chief executive officer at AF Blakemore, added: “In line with our unwavering commitment to being employee and customer-centric, we are thrilled to welcome Nicola McIntosh to AF Blakemore as our new chief people officer. Nicola brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in leading and developing high-performing teams, particularly during challenging times.
“Nicola's deep understanding of the complexities of people and leadership, coupled with her passion for creating high performing teams in inclusive work environments, perfectly aligns with our values at AF Blakemore, her expertise will be invaluable as we continue to foster a culture that empowers our staff and drives long-term success for our organisation. We are excited to welcome her to AF Blakemore and wish her all the best in her new role.”
