Nisa managing and commercial directors to leave business
UK c-store chain has been expanding forecourt sales as part of the group’s broader retail strategy.
Nisa has announced the departure of Managing Director Peter Batt and Commercial Director Ayaz Alam. The changes were communicated internally to staff on December 20, as reported by The Grocer.
Peter Batt joined Nisa in 2022, bringing experience from senior roles at Co-op and Sainsbury’s. Ayaz Alam, who joined Co-op in 2018, had previously held positions at Asda.
Batt shared his reflections on social media, highlighting his career achievements, including his contributions to Co-op during the pandemic and his leadership of Nisa. He described his time leading Nisa as “a dream come true from start to finish.”
In the interim, Jerome Saint-Marc, Co-op's Managing Director for B2B and Growth, will oversee day-to-day management of Nisa and its wholesale operations. Sinead Bell, Co-op’s Commercial Director, will assume responsibility for Nisa’s commercial team alongside her current duties.
Saint-Marc emphasized Nisa's growth potential: “There are significant growth opportunities for Nisa and our wider B2B business as we prioritize building deeper relationships and delivering more value for our trusted partners. We thank Peter Batt and Ayaz Alam for their contributions and wish them success in their future endeavors.”
The leadership change comes as Co-op Group continues its efforts to navigate a challenging wholesale market. In its half-year results announced in September, the group reported an £8 million loss in its wholesale business, attributed to price investments and market pressures.
Nisa, acquired by Co-op in 2019, is present at nearly 4,000 UK forecourts and convenience stores. Batt’s tenure at Nisa included a focus on expanding forecourt sales as part of the group’s broader retail strategy.
