Appointment of new Chair

Co-operative Group Limited

13 July 2023

 

Co-operative Group Limited

13 July 2023

The Co-operative Group appoints Debbie White as new Chair Designate

Debbie brings a wealth of business and commercial experience and will succeed Allan Leighton in February 2024, when his 9-year term of office as Chair ends.

Following a rigorous search process, The Co-operative Group (Co-op) has today, 13th July 2023, announced that Debbie White will become its new Chair when Allan Leighton steps down from the role in February 2024.

Debbie has held a series of significant and complex Executive roles, including Group Chief Executive of Interserve and Global CEO for healthcare and government at Sodexo. More recently she has held a number of Non-Executive roles, including Senior Independent Director at Spire Healthcare Group plc, Howden's Joinery Group plc and PAVmed Inc.

Allan Leighton, Co-op Group Chair said;

"Debbie is the ideal person to take our Co-op forwards over the coming years. She has extensive business experience across a range of sectors and I'm personally delighted that she will join us at this exciting time, as our Co-op focuses on recruiting a million new members and providing top class products and services for our members and customers. 

"Over the past 9 years our Co-op has regained its financial strength but it has never lost sight of its wider social commitments and responsibilities by delivering value to our member-owners.  Under Debbie's leadership I have every confidence that our Co-op will continue to grow and to deliver against these commitments."

Shirine Khoury-Haq, Group Chief Executive, said;

"It is testament to the strength and future potential of our Co-op that we can attract someone of Debbie's calibre and I'm looking forward to working closely with her as we embark on another exciting chapter in our Co-op's 180-year history. She has a proven track record, a commitment to our Co-op values and principles, and is a role model for championing diversity and inclusion. She is a perfect fit for our Co-op.

"In welcoming Debbie I also want to thank Allan for the enormous support he's provided to me personally and for the incredible turnaround he's overseen for our Co-op and our members over the past 9 years."

Debbie White, said;

"I am delighted and privileged to be taking up this role.  The Co-op is an iconic business with an important role to play in supporting the needs of our members and wider society. I'm really looking forward to working with Shirine, our Board, our National Members Council and our 57,000 colleagues, to grow our Co-op further and to build upon the existing momentum already in place. 

"The Co-op is the original business with purpose, with ambitious plans to grow further in the coming years and I'm excited by the prospect of being a part of a business which exists to meet the needs of its members."

Debbie is expected to join our Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director in August 2023 before taking on the role of Chair in February 2024 as Allan reaches the end of his 9-year term.

ENDS

Enquiries

The Co-operative Group

·      Russ Brady: Tel: [phone]

Notes to Editors:

About The Co-operative Group:

Co-op is one of the world's largest consumer co-operatives with interests across food, funerals, insurance and legal services. Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates over 2,500 food stores, over 800 funeral homes and provides products to over 5,000 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies and through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited.

Employing over 57,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of over £11.5 billion and is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. The Co-op exists to meet members' needs and stand up for the things they believe in.

Chair Remuneration:

Consistent with the Group policy of paying at the median, the Chair's fee will be £250,000

Debbie White - Personal Details

·      Debbie is 61 years old, is based in the North-West and is married with three boys. She is a Cambridge graduate and qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Practitioner within Arthur Andersen.

Executive Roles 

BT Group plc

·      Interim Chief Human Resources Officer, 2021- 2022

Interserve Group

·      Group Chief Executive Officer, 2017- 2019

Sodexo Group

·      Global Chief Executive Officer, Healthcare & Government, 2015 - 2017

·      Chief Executive Officer, UK&I, 2012-2015

·      SVP & Chief Financial Officer, North America, 2008 - 2012

·      Group SVP Strategic Projects, 2007- 2008

·      Chief Financial Officer, UK&I, 2004 - 2007

PwC Consulting

·      Director, 2000 - 2003

Early Career

·      Various finance roles at AstraZeneca 1987 - 2000

·      Arthur Andersen, 1983 - 1987

 

END