Tesco, one of the industry鈥檚 biggest commercial clients, has restructured its development team after a raft of further high-profile departures.

The departures include Richard Rust, the senior development manager, who is jumping ship to become head of construction at Sainsbury鈥檚.

The position of Tesco development director has now been split into three regional heads of development, following the departure of Tony Vashista in March.

Jennifer Weitzel, the acting development director, will cover the South of England, and Ross Campbell, the former development manager, will cover Scotland and Northern England. The South-west and Wales will be covered by a third head of development, who has yet to be recruited. They will report to Kevin Grace, director of property services.

Other key figures departing from Tesco include Richard Saunders, who pioneered the company鈥檚 two-floor trading programme; Joe Richardson, who was in charge of mixed-use development; and development manager Matthew Horne.

They鈥檙e going to be in trouble. They have an enormous programme to deliver next year

Tesco source

It is understood that up to a quarter of the department鈥檚 posts are now vacant. Senior management figures are said to be concerned about Grace鈥檚 lack of experience in the development sector. He was formerly chief executive of Tesco in Poland.

A source close to the department said: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to be in trouble. They have an enormous programme to deliver next year and they鈥檙e going to have difficulty doing it without the staff.鈥�

A Tesco spokesperson said: 鈥淭hese business changes are taking place to the benefit of the property division.

鈥淟ike any company, people come and go.鈥�