// Waitrose customer director departs after more than 5 years in the role
// Martin George plans to return to non-executive roles, take on charity work and dedicate more time towards coaching and mentoring
Waitrose customer director Martin George is stepping down after more than five years in the role, and will “unlikely” move to another full-time executive role.
George said he plans to return to non-executive roles, take on charity work and dedicate more time towards coaching and mentoring.
However, he will continue to support Waitrose and lead the grocer’s customer team until a replacement is found.
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George began his career in brand management at Cadbury, before moving to British Airways in 1987.
He stayed with the airline for almost two decades, latterly as commercial director, before joining Bupa in 2008 as interim marketing director.
Two years after being promoted to Bupa’s managing director of group development, he was hired by the Post Office as commercial director.
He joined Waitrose as customer director in 2017, and held non-executive roles at private GP network London Doctors Clinic, Grays of Cambridge, PrivateFly, and Hornby Hobbies.
George oversaw 2020’s ‘You can taste when it’s Waitrose & Partners’ campaign, which recently won a Marketing Society award and has been shortlisted for an IPA Effectiveness Award.
“After five wonderful years with the partnership I’ve decided that the time is right, both personally and professionally, for me to step down,” George said.
“It is the unrivalled commitment and capability of our partners that gives me every confidence in the future.”
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