Ex-Iceland man Foley comes in from the cold

The frozen-food chain Iceland is ramping up its continental expansion with the appointment of its first international business director.

Paul Foley, who oversaw the establishment of the cut-price supermarket Aldi in the UK, is returning to Iceland, where he ran its South-east England business 23 years ago. It marks a reunion with Iceland's chief executive, Malcolm Walker, who was his boss then.

Mr Walker said: "I was very sorry to lose Paul in 1989. It has not been easy to persuade him to come back and work for us, and I am absolutely delighted that he has agreed to do so. His exceptional track record and skill set make him the ideal person to lead Iceland's development outside the UK."

Iceland recently started its first Eastern Europe retail chain in the Czech Republic.