BP strengthens retail team with hiring of David Phillpot as convenience trading director, Europe
BP has appointed David Phillpot to the newly created role of convenience trading director for Europe.
With over 25 years’ experience in food retail role, Phillpot previously worked with Marks & Spencer where his most recent role was franchise director. This involved leading relationships and commercial plans with all of the M&S franchise partners, including BP.
Prior to that, he was trading director of convenience food at M&S where he oversaw categories such as ready meals, food on the move and desserts.
Reporting to Jo Hayward, BP’s VP for convenience in Europe, Phillpot will drive performance and convenience retail growth across BP’s European network of over 3,000 company owned stores, as well as maximise BP’s strategic grocery partnerships with retailers like Albert Heijn in the Netherlands, Auchan in Poland, REWE in Germany and M&S in the UK.
Hayward said: “We are delighted to welcome David to BP as we continue to deliver our exciting growth ambitions for our convenience retail business. With a proven track record of delivering outstanding results at M&S, David brings valuable expertise to our team. I cannot wait for him to get started.”
BP regards convenience as one of its five transition growth engines, along with EV charging, hydrogen, bioenergy, and renewables and power. By 2030, the company wants to have doubled its convenience gross margin, targeting 10% year-on-year growth, and increase its number of convenience sites to more than 3,500 across the world.
BP has also recently hired Claire Farrant as VP marketing from Lidl, Joanne Hall as UK retail operations director from Sainsbury’s and Doris Beger as senior trading manager, Germany.