The former boss of Domino’s Pizza is to become the new chief executive of Saga.

Lance Batchelor will join the Folkestone-based firm in May next year and is expected to lead the over-50s holiday company as it aims to float on the stock market within the next two years.

Taking up a post which has been created for him, he will work closely with Andrew Goodsell, executive chairman of Acromas, which owns the firm.

Former Royal Navy submariner Mr Batchelor, 49, had been running delivery chain Domino’s for two years and only resigned on Friday.

Prior to joining Domino’s, initially as a non-executive director, he was chief executive of Tesco Mobile.He has enjoyed a number of senior marketing roles at Procter & Gamble, Amazon, Vodafone and Tesco, where he was marketing director.

He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSc from University of Wales.

Mr Goodsell said: “This potent mix of experience with consumer brands, technology, building businesses in the UK and overseas, marketing, and as a leader in a number of PLCs, ideally positions Lance to lead Saga in the next phase of its development.”

Saga is one of Kent’s largest employers, with more than 2,800 workers based at their four offices in Folkestone and one in Thanet. it also has an office in Hastings employing 300 people.

Mr Batchelor is married to solicitor Wendy and has four sons, aged seven to 16.