Simply Fresh appoints former 7-Eleven chief Tim Chalk as ceo

Simply Fresh has appointed Tim Chalk, former ceo of 7-Eleven Hong Kong & Macau, as its new chief executive.

Chalk’s appointment will see founder and managing director Kash Khera become chief operating officer (coo).

Chalk oversaw 1,000 company and franchise-operated 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong and Macau, with an average size of around 550sq ft.

Prior to moving to Asia, Tim held senior roles in Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Alldays.

In his new role, Chalk will work closely with property developers throughout the UK, who are increasingly looking to partner with c-store operators who can offer something different to mainstream grocery retailers at new residential and office sites, according to Khera.

He said that 15 new retail sites are currently in development, with a further 25 scheduled for the second quarter of 2019, and that the group was on the lookout for independent retailers to fill these locations.

“We have a lot of good sites in the pipeline, and we are always looking for quality independent retailers to work with us,” Khera said.

“During this time of transformation in our sector there is no better person to lead SimplyFresh than Tim Chalk,” he added.

“Tim is a proven leader with hard-core industry skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. His vision, knowledge and experience from around the world is exactly what Simply Fresh needs as the company enters its next chapter of innovation and expanded store growth.

“The opportunity ahead for SimplyFresh is vast but to achieve it we must focus clearly on our objectives, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of Tim’s job is to refine the strategy and accelerate our ability to quickly bring innovative products and services to our customers.

“As coo I will be in charge of the day to day operation of the business, allowing me to get even closer to our retailers.”

Chalk said: “Simply Fresh is one of those rare companies to have truly challenged the mainstream c-store sector and embraced new ideas and changing customer needs. I am honoured to have been chosen to lead the company to the next level.”