Southeastern’s McLeod to join Asian retailer

Southeastern Grocers’ globetrotting CEO Ian McLeod, who announced his resignation earlier this week, is headed to Hong Kong.

McLeod was named Thursday to succeed Graham Allen as CEO of Dairy Farm International Holdings, the $20 billion pan-Asian retailer with more than 6,500 outlets in 11 countries.

McLeod (left) will take over for Allen effective Sept. 1, the company said.

“Ian brings with him extensive strategic and operational retail experience with a strong track record of driving profitable growth,” Dairy Farm Chairman Ben Keswick said in a statement. “We would like to welcome Ian to Dairy Farm, and to wish him every success in taking the group forward on its next stage of development.”

Allen, who will depart Aug. 31, had served Dairy Farm for five years, and according to Keswick “laid the foundation growth for across the region, not least in mainland China.”

McLeod was Southeastern’s CEO for a little more than two years and in that time overhauled the parent of Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo stores behind new and revamped store formats, pricing programs and private labels. As previously reported, COO Anthony Hucker will assume McLeod’s duties on an interim basis.

In his resignation from Southeastern, McLeod said he was making the move for family reasons. His wife is from New Zealand.