Nisa managing director Peter Batt and commercial director Ayaz Alam are understood to be leaving the business.

As reported by the Grocer, the two departures were confirmed internally to the wholesaler’s staff on 20 December.

Batt joined Nisa in 2022, following several senior roles at the Co-op and Sainsbury’s. Alam was previously at Asda prior to joining Co-op in 2018.

Confirming his departure on social media, Batt said: “From helping to take Co-op stores to industry-leading, promoting brilliant colleagues, sitting on the Co-op Foundation, Enterprise Trust and Operating boards, supporting apprenticeships, and of course raising huge funds in the Million Pound Mile. I’ll never forget how our colleagues took us through the Covid pandemic with so much care and commitment.

“Then leading Nisa, learning about independent retail, influencing across the wider food and wholesale market and enabling the business to truly be a part of the wider Co-op, it has largely been a dream come true from start to finish.

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“I owe all my wonderful colleagues past and present and the Co-op/Nisa customers and partners, the biggest thank you in the world for allowing me to have so much fun.

“As I look towards taking on my next challenge, I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a fabulous 2025.”

It is understood the Co-op has begun the search for Batt’s replacement, with the multiple’s managing director for B2B and growth, Jerome Saint-Marc overseeing management in the interim. Co-op commercial director Sinead Bell will also look after Nisa’s commercial team in the interim period.

Saint-Marc said: “As we look ahead, there are significant growth opportunities for Nisa and our wider B2B business, as we prioritise building deeper relationships and delivering more value for our trusted partners. Having both played integral roles, both Peter Batt and Ayaz Alam have decided that now is the time for them to pursue further opportunities outside of the business.  We wish them our best and thank them for the contribution that they have both made to our Co-op over many years of service.”

In September, Nisa reported an annual decline of £8m in wholesale profit for its half year results. The dip was blamed on a “wider challenging market” and price investment for partnered stores.

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