Palmer and Harvey has announced the appointment of Helen Buck as chief operating officer.

Helen Buck is due to join the wholesaler in November after 10 years at Sainsbury’s, where she had a number of senior roles. Buck will be working alongside recently appointed Mark Leonard as group operations director, as well as an enhanced depot management team.

The newly-created role comes as part of a broader strengthening for P&H, and focuses on supporting its long-term strategic development, as it looks to deliver a step change in the growth of the business.

Chris Etherington, chairman and chief executive officer of Palmer and Harvey, said: “This has been a year of transformation for us, notably through the significant partnership with Costcutter Supermarkets Group, which has been a step change win for the business. Helen comes with a wealth of experience in the retail sector, and her knowledge of customer buying behaviour and industry dynamics will be of enormous value as we continue to grow.”