J Sainsbury announces new non-executive director

J Sainsbury announced Monday the appointment of non-executive director Jean Tomlin.

The FTSE 100 parent company of Sainsbury's Supermarkets, the third largest chain of supermarkets in the UK, said Tomlin would join the board from January 1st, 2013.

She will take the place of Anna Ford, who retires on December 31st, and will also chair the company's corporation responsibility committee and sit on the remuneration and nomination committees.

Tomlin was the HR Director for The London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games where she oversaw the creation and execution of the Games Maker volunteering programme.

Her former experience also includes Group HR Director at Marks & Spencer, HR Director of Egg, and Sales and Operations Director of Prudential Direct.

"Sainsbury's has an outstanding reputation and - with 22m customers and 150,000 colleagues - touches so many areas of day-to-day life. I very much look forward to playing my part in the company's future progress," Tomlin said.

Tomlin - who started her career at Ford Motor Company working in personnel, training and labour relations - has also been a commissioner for Judicial Appointments, a member of the Qualifications and Curriculum Advisory Board, the Race Relations Advisory Group, and a trustee of South African self-funding university CIDA.

Sainsbury's Chairman, David Tyler, said: "We're delighted to welcome Jean to our board. Her unique experience and breadth of skills will be a great addition to the board and we particularly look forward to her leadership of the corporate responsibility committee which contributes significantly to the success of Sainsbury's."

J Sainbury's shares were down 0.09% to 347.80p at 9:50 on Monday.

RD