Chris Bush, who spent more than 30 years as Managing Director at Tesco, will take over as Group CEO of The Board of Hans Merensky Holdings (HMH) and Westfalia Fruit Group on Oct. 28. He will replace Rian du Toit, who is returning to his role as chief financial officer.
Bush, a graduate of Manchester Business School and INSEAD, has nearly 40 years of experience working across grocery retail. He has led vastly complex multinational organisations, driving both growth and turnaround across various geographies. He has a strong track record in leading people and operations, at scale.
“I am both honored and delighted to be joining an organization that is so clearly dedicated to innovation, product quality, and sustainability,” Bush said. “I am inspired by the company’s stated mission to lead the way in addressing climate change by following in the footsteps of the company’s founder, Dr. Hans Merensky, to do good and contribute to a better planet for future generations.
“I am excited to meet our talented team, our customers, communities, and stakeholders around the world to listen and learn how together we can maximize our growth potential and build sustainable, long-term success.”
Most recently, Bush was Divisional CEO of DFI Retail Group, South East Asia (formerly Dairy Farm Group), directing DFI Retail’s 1.500 stores across 7 countries. Prior to joining DFI Retail Group, Chris worked at Tesco Plc for 32 years, leading large-scale businesses in Asia, including his stint as Managing Director. Chris has lived and worked in Europe, the United States and Asia.
“The Board is delighted to welcome Mr. Bush as our new Group Chief Executive,” HMH and Westfalia Fruit Group Chairman Dr. Khotso Mokhele said. “Chris is a seasoned CEO with exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in retail, as well as working across a breadth of different countries and cultures.”
