Aramark lures three from rivals

Dan Wright, formerly managing director at Avenance subsidiary Eliance, will become Aramark's UK managing director for the north in August.

Also heading to Aramark is Wyn Roberts, UK managing director of Citation, Sodexho's fine-dining wing. He is currently negotiating his departure from Sodexho and will be joining Aramark as UK managing director for the Southern Region, covering London and the South, education contracts and hotels.

Denis Stoner, who left his position as Sodexho's regional manager for London earlier this year, will fill a similar position at Aramark when he joins the company in August.

Cupper is to take up the role of regional vice president in the USA.

Aramark chief executive Bill Toner said the company had taken the opportunity of Cupper's departure to restructure and strengthen the company's position.

The departures of Roberts and Stoner follow several defections to Aramark over the past three years, including Toner himself. Toner, who was managing director for business and industry at Sodexho (then called Gardner Merchant), left in 1999 after 17 years with the company.

A spokeswoman for Sodexho said: "People are always moving in the industry. We have an extremely good retention rate here."