One51, the plastics and environmental company, has announced that Philips will join the board as non-executive director on 1 September.

The ex-CEO of the UK’s fourth-largest supermarket was sacked last year after a collapse in the company’s profits and losing customers to discount rivals Aldi and Lidl, along with overseeing a tanking share price.

Philips, who was born in Co Wicklow where his father worked as an egg farmer, was appointed chief executive at Morrison’s in 2010.

Previous experience

He has spent much of his career working abroad, including a 10-year spell as chief operation officer for Walmart in Germany. He also held the position of chief executive officer of the Brown Thomas Group.

Philips (48) has a BA from University College Dublin, an MBA from Harvard Business School and an honorary Doctorate of Management from Bradford University. Dalton is currently a senior adviser with The Boston Consulting Group.

Pat Gilroy has also been appointed to the board. He joins as a non-independent non-executive director representing IIU Nominees Limited, the company controlled by Dermot Desmond who now holds more than 25% of One51.

Pat was previously country director of Veolia Ireland and the chief operating officer for the industrial customers group of Veolia UK and Ireland. He is currently managing director of Designer Group in Ireland.

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