A&P Restructures Top Management After Sale of Canadian Business

MONTVALE, N.J. -- As a result of the new company structure resulting from the sale of A&P Canada to Canadian grocer Metro, which is expected to be completed in mid-August, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc., based here, said yesterday that it was reallocating senior executive management responsibility for its ongoing business in the United States.

The changes, which were approved by A&P's board of directors this week, are as follows:

--Christian Haub, now chairman and c.e.o., will become executive chairman, effective Aug. 15. Haub, who also serves as co-c.e.o. of Tengelmann, the majority shareholder of A&P, will lead the long-range strategic direction and public aspects of A&P.

--Eric Claus, now president of A&P Canada, will become president and c.e.o. of A&P, reporting directly to Haub. Claus will take on full responsibility for the operation of the restructured A&P and all support functions. Haub noted in a statement: "I am delighted that Eric has agreed to assume this key position with us, following his strong leadership of A&P Canada over the past two years. His efforts were instrumental in maximizing the value that we will now realize and apply to the renewal of our core northeast U.S. operations."

Claus said, "I see this as a challenging and exciting assignment, working with a dedicated and talented team, and executing strategies similar to those responsible for our success in Canada."

--Brian Piwek, president and c.o.o. of A&P, will retire effective July 31. In the statement, Haub credited Piwek with "reversing the decline of our U.S. operations, by instilling operating discipline and identifying distinct retail strategies for development. . .[H]e leaves a core business poised to resume profitability and drive long-term growth."

A&P operates 637 stores in 10 states, the District of Columbia, and Ontario, Canada under the following banners: A&P, Waldbaum's, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, Super Fresh, Farmer Jack, Sav-A-Center, Dominion, The Barn Markets, Food Basics, and Ultra Food & Drug.
X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds