East of England Co-op has appointed Doug Field as its new CEO, replacing its joint leadership structure with a single chief executive leadership model
“I am honoured to have been chosen as our co-op’s new CEO,” said Field. “I’m excited about what the future holds for our family of businesses, and I am committed to continuing the great work we have done in the past while also looking forward to new opportunities and growth.”
The society previously used a collegiate leadership team model, with four joint chief executives – of which Field was one – having responsibility for individual specialisms. The decision to appoint a single CEO was made in December, after a comprehensive review by the board.
Former joint chief executive Roger Grosvenor retired last March, with Niall O’Keeffe and Nick Denny deciding to move on to pursue other interests. “The East of England Co-op would like to acknowledge the significant contribution made to the business by Niall and Nick, and wish them well in their future endeavours,” said the society.
“With 14 years of experience at our co-op, most recently serving as joint chief executive responsible for finance, HR and technology, Doug has a proven track record of utilising data and insight to drive positive change,” said East of England president Frank Moxon. “These will be fundamental building blocks as we look to change how we make decisions and focus our energies and resources. Doug’s leadership and expertise will be instrumental in guiding our co-op into the future.”
Field, who formerly chaired the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), was one of several co-operators named in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List, being awarded an OBE for his work supporting businesses across Suffolk and Norfolk. He has been with the society for 14 years.
“To me, co-operation is the way you do business, with suppliers, colleagues, consumers and the community,” he said in a Co-op News interview last year. “Co-operation is about working in partnership and for a greater good, and doing the right thing – even when nobody’s looking. Integrity is a key value for me, and for East of England Co-op. Our key focus is about making sure we make positive local impacts, and we do the right thing for our communities. We want to improve the daily lives of our members, colleagues, customers and communities – that’s at the heart of what we do.”
East of England traces its roots back to 1846 and today operates 120 food branches in Norfolk, Suffolk and North Essex, as well as funeral, travel and property services, post offices and the Co-op Secure Response service.
- This piece was amended on 1 February, changing paragraph six to state that Doug Field is a former, not current, chair of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership
