The Co-operative Group names Debbie White as chair designate
The Co-operative Group has appointed Debbie White as chair designate.
She will succeed Allan Leighton as chair next February when his nine-year term of office comes to an end.
White has held a series of significant executive roles throughout her career, including group chief executive of Interserve and global chief executive for healthcare and government at Sodexo.
More recently, she has held non-executive director positions at Spire Healthcare Group, Howden Joinery and PAVmed Inc.
Leighton 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 nine 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.”
White is expected to join The Co-operative board as an independent non-executive director in August 2023 before taking up the chair role in February.
Employing over 57,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of over £11.5 billion and operates over 2,500 food stores and 800 funeral homes.
