Swartz is highly respected in the Spar Group, with a deep knowledge of the South African market, having been with the company for 16 years and at Woolworths before that. He is currently the divisional managing director of the second largest Spars division in Southern Africa, the Spar KwaZulu-Natal division. In addition to his role as CEO, Swartz will also take up the role of chairman of the Spar Guild on 1 September 2023.
Other changes to the Spar Group board include the appointment of Megan Pydigadu to the new role of group chief operating officer (COO) and executive director of the board with effect from 1 November 2023.
Pydigadu’s position aims to strengthen the Group’s executive team and provide support to the CEO on the co-ordination and oversight of the operational and functional activities of the Group as well as retailer profitability. She brings her extensive restructuring, operational and change management experience to the new role and will add valuable bench strength to the Spar Group executive team.
Further changes will see Mike Bosman revert to being the independent non-executive chairman of the Board, effective 1 October 2023. He will also continue to serve as independent non-executive chairman on Spar’s major foreign subsidiary boards.
Bosman will work closely alongside Swartz, to ensure a seamless transition for Swartz in his new role as CEO. While Mark Godfrey, the Group CFO, will continue to serve in this role with his current duties and responsibilities, reporting to the CEO.
Commenting on Swartz's appointment, Bosman, said, “I am delighted to be handing over the reins to Angelo, a proudly South African leader with deep experience in the local retail industry. Having conducted a long and thorough search process involving many South African and international candidates, the board has no doubt that Angelo is the right person to lead Spar.”
Said Swartz: “It is a privilege and an honour to be appointed the Group CEO of Sspar. I am grateful to the board for their confidence in me to lead the Group. Spar is a business founded on strong relationships and an entrepreneurial spirit, and I look forward to embracing the spirit of both as I get to know all of our stakeholders.
"Many thanks to Mike for his leadership and custodianship of the business over the past six months. I believe my operational experience, deep knowledge and understanding of the Spar culture, coupled with fresh outside perspectives, will position [the group] well on our path to modernise the business. I look forward to guiding the business through this next phase of its growth.”
