Co Down father delighted to be new Lidl NI regional managing director: 'I now have the pleasure of leading the incredible local team'

Lidl Northern Ireland has appointed Co Down man as their new regional managing director.

Gordon Cruikshanks succeeds Ivan Ryan, who has moved into the role of chief customer officer for Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Gordon, who has been with Lidl since 2005, previously served as sales operations director, overseeing the growth and operations of over 40 stores and a team of more than 1,000 employees across the region. Throughout his nearly 20-year career, Gordon has held a series of senior roles, including sales operations manager, regional property manager, and sales operations director, both in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In the past year, Gordon participated in a bespoke development program with Lidl Germany, where he specialized in logistics and supply chain management and developed his German language skills at one of Lidl's advanced distribution centres in Frankfurt.

A native of Northern Ireland, Gordon is based in Banbridge, with his wife Robyn and their children, Harry and George. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Queen’s University Belfast and a certification in the IITD Training Skills Programme from the Learning and Development Institute. Throughout his time with Lidl, Gordon has been a key contributor to the company’s Community Works Sport for Good Programme and has supported fundraising initiatives for local charities such as Cancer Focus NI, CLIC Sargent Northern Ireland, and NSPCC Northern Ireland.

As Lidl continues its expansion in Northern Ireland, with over 35% year-on-year sales growth in the past two years, Gordon's appointment, effective from March 1, comes at a pivotal time for the company. Lidl recently opened its largest store in Northern Ireland in Coleraine and plans to open additional stores in 2025. The company currently operates 43 stores and employs more than 1,300 people, supporting an additional 6,900 jobs indirectly across the region.

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Lidl’s growth and development in Northern Ireland are set to continue under Gordon’s leadership, as the company strives to maintain its position as a market leader in the region.

Gordon Cruikshanks, regional managing director, Lidl Northern Ireland, said: “I am delighted to take on the role of regional managing director for Lidl Northern Ireland and support our ambitious expansion plans in the region.

“Having started my career with Lidl in 2005 and spent almost 20 years in roles across the business in Northern Ireland and internationally, my experience is a testament to the exceptional development opportunities Lidl has to offer as an employer.

“I now have the pleasure of leading the incredible local team here in Northern Ireland across our 43 stores and regional distribution centre in Nutts Corner and to maintain our focus on continued growth, offering more customers across the region the highest quality products at market-leading value in communities across Northern Ireland.”