SYDNEY, April 30 (Reuters) - Australia's Wesfarmers Ltd. (WES.AX: Quote , Profile , Research confirmed it was in talks with Archie Norman, who helped revive British supermarket chain Asda, as it pursues a A$19.7 billion ($16 billion) bid for retailer Coles Group Ltd. (CGJ.AX: Quote , Profile , Research .

Wesfarmers Chief Executive Richard Goyder said Norman, who led a transformation of Asda's retail businesses in the 1990s, had been in Australia recently for discussions.

"I envisage Archie will have a very senior advisory role by being actively engaged in the entity we propose to set up to own and manage the Coles supermarkets, liquor, petrol and general merchandising businesses," Goyder said in a statement.

Conglomerate Wesfarmers, whose businesses include hardware stores, insurance and coal mines, is battling a private equity consortium led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts [KKR.UL].

Under its proposal, Wesfarmers would own 50 percent of Coles' core businesses, with the remainder held by its consortium partners, private equity firms PEP and Permira and Macquarie Bank Ltd. (MBL.AX: Quote , Profile , Research . Continued...

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