Unitas Wholesale managing director Darren Goldney is to leave the buying group, with current sales and marketing director John Kinney taking on the reigns in April.
Goldney has been in the job for three and half years following the merger or Today’s Group and Landmark, he said: “It is difficult to express how proud I am of our achievements over the last three years, not just in what we’ve managed to bring together for members but also in the way we have collaborated to achieve positive change across our business.
Opinion: How Unitas dealt with the Covid-19 crisis and what the future holds
“I am immensely proud of the staff and my team, and I am extremely thankful to the board and members for their support. That ‘change agenda’ has been the most invigorating of my career – and it has inspired me to take my Unitas experience and passion for leadership to find the right new and fresh challenge.”
A company statement says that Kinney is ideally placed to drive the organisation into the next phase of its development, with the new managing director commenting that he was extremely pleased to be given the opportunity by to lead the organisation forward. “This is a great business with a fantastic opportunity to grow and improve further. While there are challenges for our members servicing the out of home sector due to the impact of Covid, I am confident in the future for the group and I am looking forward to working with all our members and suppliers to maximise the opportunities for all.”
Unitas chairman Simon Hannah added: “Darren has played an enormous role over the last few years and earned widespread respect not just as a business leader but also for his integrity and passion. His input is undoubtedly going to be missed by Unitas, however, as a group of entrepreneurial leaders ourselves we respect his ambition and desire to set himself new challenges and seek new opportunities – we say goodbye to him with the warmest of wishes for the future and our thanks for leading the group to its current position of success and strength.
