Co-op is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Dower as managing director of its Retail business.
Dower joins Co-op with more than two decades of senior leadership experience spanning food retail, convenience, hospitality and FMCG. He has held leadership roles at some of the world’s most recognised consumer brands, including Tesco, Holland & Barrett, Pret A Manger, Harrods, Woolworths Australia, Mars and PepsiCo, building a reputation as a leader who combines commercial success with a strong sense of purpose.
His appointment comes at an exciting time for Co-op’s Retail business as it continues to maintain business momentum, alongside The Co-op Group’s other Food and Life Services’ business channels. In his new role Dower will be directly responsible for one of the UK’s largest convenience retailers with a store footprint in over 2,300 locations, a fast-growing quick commerce operation and with an annual turnover in excess of £7.25 billion.
Throughout his career, Dower has successfully led complex transformations in customer-facing businesses operating at scale. At Holland & Barrett, where he was CEO International, he led a significant turnaround across multiple international markets, building high-performing teams, step changing the Own Brand product proposition and improving operational effectiveness, resulting in sustained sales and profit growth.
During his time as CCO at Woolworths Australia, Dower led a major transformation of the retailer’s fresh food offer, developing new customer propositions, price and promotional strategies and Partnerships that delivered significant business growth.
Dower’s breadth of experience spans some of the world’s most competitive retail markets. A common thread throughout his career has been an ability to combine customer insight, operational excellence and commercial discipline to drive sustainable growth.
As managing director, Dower will focus on accelerating Co-op Food retail growth, strengthening the customer proposition, supporting continued innovation across stores and digital channels, and ensuring the business continues to deliver value for members while remaining true to Co-op’s purpose and values.
Commenting on his appointment Kate Allum, Interim Group CEO 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. “
Commenting on his appointment 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.”
