Coupe will step down from the helm of the supermarket titan at the end of May after a 15-year stint with the business, almost six of which have been spent as chief executive.

The grocer says that after “a thorough search process” led by chair Martin Scicluna across external and internal candidates, Roberts was selected as Coupe’s successor and will take the helm of the business on June 1.

Coupe will stay on as a director until July 2 to ensure an orderly handover and transition into Roberts’ new role.