Co-op has announced that Shirine Khoury-Haq has been appointed group chief executive.

Khoury-Haq will be the first woman and first person of an ethnic minority background to take on the role, which she has been doing on an interim basis for the past three months.

She previously worked as group chief financial officer and chief executive of Co-op Life Services, before taking over the role from Steve Murrells, who was chief executive of the company for five years.

“There is a lot to do but we also have so much to build upon,” said Khoury-Haq. “Our Food and Life Services businesses are leaders in their markets, we have a differentiated vision and amazing Co-op colleagues, with links into communities and other co-operatives. Together, we will continue to succeed and deliver for the benefit of our members, our customers and their communities.”

The move comes as the retailer, which currently operates over 2,500 food stores, expands its on-demand online home delivery service through a new partnership with Uber Eats and an extension of its deal with Deliveroo.

After a trial, Deliveroo Signature - which makes Deliveroo's UK-wide network of riders also available to deliver orders placed directly with Co-op through its own online shop - is being rolled out across hundreds of Co-op stores.

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