Senior leadership appointment for Co-op Retail team
NATIONAL retail chain Co-op Retail has announced its new managing director as Alex Dower, bringing over two decades worth of experience to the position.
Dower joins the Co-op following more than 20 years across senior leadership positions spanning food retail, convenience, hospitality and FMCG brands. This has included across the likes of Tesco, Holland & Barrett, Pret A Manger, Mars and PepsiCo.
In this new role, Dower will be responsible for one of the UK’s largest convenience retail chains with a store footprint of over 2,300 locations, a fast-growing quick commerce operation and with an annual turnover in excess of £7.25billion.
The new appointment comes during an important time for Co-op Retail’s business, says the firm, as it continues to maintain its momentum across the retail space alongside the Co-op Group’s wider business channels.
As managing director, Dower will focus on accelerating Co-op Food retail growth, strengthening the customer proposition and supporting continued innovation across the channel within Co-op’s stores and digital channels.
Commenting on his appointment, Kate Allum, interim group chief executive, said: “Alex brings a wealth of experience and a passion for building successful customer-focused businesses, in ways that make a meaningful difference to customers’ everyday lives.
“His personal values and leadership approach are fully aligned with our Co-op and I’m excited about the impact he will have in driving our Food Retail business forwards.”
Dower said: “I’m delighted to be joining Co-op at such an important time for the business. Co-op stores are woven into communities across the UK, and I’m looking forward to working with our fantastic colleagues to make it even more relevant to members and customers every day.
“Co-op’s purpose and values are what set it apart, and I’m excited to build upon the strong foundations already in place, accelerating growth and innovation, while staying true to what makes Co-op so special.”
