Online Director bags Sainsbury’s tech leadership role

Sainsbury’s will not be replacing outgoing IT Director Rob Fraser with a new CIO. The retailer has promoted Online Director Jon Rudoe as Digital and Technology Director and will assume responsibility for the supermarket’s IT when Rob Fraser steps down on March 15.

In his new expanded role Rudoe will join the Operating Board, reporting to Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King. King said of Rudoe: “He’s a driven and talented leader whose first-class team has turned our Groceries Online operation into a billion-pound business and transformed our digital offer.”

Rudoe said in a statement: “Technology is a key part of our future vision, right across the customer experience and as a vital tool for our 157,000 colleagues, and I want to put it at the heart of everything we do to serve our customers.”

Rudoe, 35, joined Sainsbury’s in July 2011 as Director of Online, leading the Grocery and Non-Food Online businesses. In March 2013 he also took on responsibility for leading Sainsbury’s digital strategy, including the development of Click and Collect, Digital Entertainments, Mobile Scan and Go and building the Digital Experience team.

Rudoe’s career suggests he is one of the first high profile examples of a digital leader replacing an IT Director/CIO at a major UK retailer. Before joining Sainsbury’s as Director of Online in July 2011 he was Head of Retail and Customer at pure-play online supermarket Ocado for three years, a promotion from Head of Marketing and Trading with Ocado for the previous year. Before a career in retail Rudoe was a consultant.