Ocado names tech veteran Adam Warby as chair designate

Online grocery tech provider Ocado Group has confirmed speculation that it is appointing former Microsoft exec Adam Warby to replace chair Rick Haythornthwaite, who announced his resignation six months ago.

Warby, who is currently the chair of Nasdaq-listed executive search and management consultancy Heidrick & Struggles International, previously served as chair of Swiss software firm SoftwareOne, was a founding member and chief executive of IT consultancy Avanade, and prior to that spent 10 years at Microsoft.

The chair designate brings "extensive executive experience" in the tech sector and will join the company on 1 December, Ocado said in a statement.

Chief executive Tim Steiner said Warby's appointment comes at an "important moment in Ocado's development".

"Our world-leading technology is now live with 11 of our 13 partners globally, and we continue to expand the scope and reach of our technology into new markets and sectors. As we work with our partners to scale their online capabilities and hone their operations, Adam's expertise as a leader in global technology and consulting will be a valuable asset to the board and leadership team."

Current chair Haythornthwaite announced in April that he would not be seeking re-election at the company's annual general meeting in April 2025 due to his increasing commitments at NatWest where he has been serving as chair since January.