Squire's Garden Centres has named former Scotts Miracle-Gro man Martin Breddy as managing director designate.
Mr Breddy will take up the role of managing director in May this year, following the retirement of Dennis Espley at the end of April.

Mr Breddy formerly spent over a decade with Scotts Miracle-Gro, where he was promoted to the managing director position UK in 2005 and subsequently took on the role of regional vice president in charge of the UK and Asia Pacific areas. However, he left the company a year ago following a restructure of its international business.

Commenting on his new role, Squire's deputy chairman Sarah Squire said: "We received a really tremendous number of applications for this position and met some very impressive and credible candidates.

"In our view Martin's skills and experience will best complement the talents of our existing team.

"We very much look forward to working with Martin and to growing and developing our business further in the coming years."

Prior to Scotts Miracle-Gro, Mr Breddy spent many years with Unilever and subsequently Glendinning Management Consultants.

He is a graduate of Cambridge University and has attended the Harvard Business School Executive Programme. He was also chairman of the UK Growing Media Association from 2009 to 2011.

Family-run Squire's operates 15 garden centres across Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Middlesex, North and West London, and this year celebrates its 80th anniversary.