Testing role for former Sainsbury’s chief

THE former boss of Sainsbury’s who was caught singing ‘We’re in the Money’ on TV is to take over as testing director at NHS Test and Trace.

Mike Coupe, who stepped down as the supermarket chain’s chief executive in May, will replace Sarah-Jane Marsh.

The appointment has sparked further criticism of the lack of health expertise at the top of the troubled Test and Trace service, controversially presided over by former TalkTalk boss Dido Harding.

The Conservative peer had previously worked at Sainsbury’s, where Mr Coupe was a colleague.

The Department for Health and Social Care said: ‘We are pleased to confirm the appointment of Mike Coupe as our new Director of Testing who brings with him 35 years of experience in large-scale supply chains, logistics and digital transformation.’

Miss Marsh will return to her role as the chief executive officer of Birmingham

Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. Earlier this month she apologised to anyone who was unable to get a Covid test. She blamed delays in laboratory processing.

Baroness Harding said Mr Coupe will carry out the role until Christmas, according to an internal email quoted by Health Service Journal, which first reported his appointment.

Mr Coupe left Sainsbury’s just over a year after his attempt to take over Asda was blocked by Britain’s competition regulator.

He is remembered for one of the most notable corporate gaffes of recent times. Mr Coupe made unwanted headlines around the world shortly after the Asda deal was announced in May 2018 when he was caught on camera singing ‘We’re in the Money’.

He apologised, saying he had been trying to compose himself before a television interview.

Mr Coupe’s new appointment was criticised by the Labour opposition.

‘How about putting those trained in actual infectious disease control in charge of Test & Trace?’ tweeted Labour’s Westminster health spokesman Jonathan Ashworth.