When Ken McMeikan joined J Sainsbury as retail director in 2005 he was described as one of the galácticos joining the chain as it snapped up a number of rising stars from supermarket rivals.

Now he is the experienced veteran who has just signed for one of the smaller teams in the food and retail division, joining Greggs the baker as chief executive.

The retailer, which sell snacks ranging from caramel slices to sausage rolls, said that Mr McMeikan would join on June 1, replacing Sir Michael Darrington, who will retire in July after 25 years with the company. Mr McMeikan comes to the group with more than 17 years' experience in the food and retail industry. He started his business life at Sears, in retailing. After that he joined Tesco, working his way up the ladder at the retailing giant for more than 14 years. He was widely respected there and held a number of operational roles, including being leader of the group's Europa foods convenience store business after its acquisition in 2002, and taking responsibility for its integration into the Tesco Express format. He also had a brief spell as the chief executive of Tesco's operation in Japan. While Tesco continued to dominate the food and retail market, in 2004 JSainsbury appointed Justin King as chief executive of the then ailing supermarket. At that time Mr King decided, in his words, to “nick some good people” from rivals in an effort to turn around the chain. The strategy included poaching Mr McMeikan in 2005 from Tesco as retail director.

Sir Michael's retirement at Greggs had led the high street baker to follow the same strategy, deciding against promoting from within. Sir Michael said: “From time to time it is good for any business to refresh and augment its capabilities through external recruitment, as it was when I joined Greggs in 1983.”

Sir Michael, who will remain at Greggs as a non-executive director, said that he was pleased to be handing over to Mr McMeikan, whom he described as “someone who fully understands and shares the unique values of the business”. He said it was a combination of Mr McMeikan's “people skills” and his experience of the retail market that made him the prime candidate.

Sir Michael also said that Mr McMeikan's appointment was part of a broader business strategy. “He's used to running a more unified business. We're a more decentralised business but we are moving to becoming more unified as part of current strategy.”

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