Blackhurst will take up his role on 18th March, with a handover period with Eyre before she begins maternity leave later in the spring.

Before taking up his new role, Blackhurst was at Coles in Australia, where he was chief executive of its liquor business.

Blackhurst also spent four years between 2015 and 2019 at Morrisons as group commercial director.

The appointment comes weeks after Morrisons chief executive Rami Baitiéh set out plans to have customers invited to board meetings and attend shopper roundtables in stores.

In addition, Peter Laflin has been appointed as data services director as part of Morrisons’ strategy to become a more data driven and digital company.

Baitiéh said: “We wish Rachel all the best for her maternity leave and look forward to welcoming Darren Blackhurst while she is off.

“Darren has a wealth of retail experience and his leadership on price and customer insights are well known to Morrisons from his previous very successful stint with us. Darren’s first priorities will be Morrisons pricing strategy, driving the trade agenda and further developing the promising Morrisons Media Group.

“I am confident he will make a tangible impact both in his interim role as chief customer and marketing officer and more widely across the business in his role on the executive committee.”