Central England Co-operative appoints first female chief executive
Central England Co-operative has appointed Debbie Robinson as its new chief executive.
She will be the first female to hold the position when she succeeds Martyn Cheatle who is retiring next May.
Having built up over 30 years’ experience with the likes of Co-op Group, Marks & Spencer and WH Smith, Robinson will join the society from SPAR where she has been UK managing director since 2011. She also sits on the boards of the Association of Convenience Stores and the British Retail Consortium.
Elaine Dean, the society’s president, said: “Debbie is no stranger to co-operative ethics and values, having previous experience at a senior level within the co-operative movement. She has a sound track record of success and is highly respected in the retail sector.
“This is the first time in the society’s history that we have had a female chief executive and the board is confident in her ability to take us forward as a dynamic and independent co-operative society.”
Employing 8,000 people, Central England Co-operative’s main areas of activity include food retail, funeral services and property investment. The society has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties.
