The Co-op Group has appointed Alex Dower as Managing Director of Co-op Retail, placing the retail and consumer goods veteran in charge of its £7.25 billion convenience grocery business.
In his incoming role, Dower will lead commercial and operational strategy across the mutual's physical store network of more than 2,300 locations throughout the United Kingdom, alongside its expanding quick-commerce and on-demand delivery operations.
The appointment comes as the Manchester-headquartered mutual continues to reinforce its core convenience estate, scale third-party digital delivery partnerships, and expand member-pricing initiatives across the food retail division.
"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," said Kate Allum, Interim Group Chief Executive Officer at The Co-op. "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."
Leadership Scope and Operational Footprint
As Managing Director, Dower assumes direct operational responsibility for one of the largest convenience retail footprints in the UK.
The Co-op's food division generates an annual turnover exceeding £7.25 billion, supported by an omnichannel estate comprising community supermarket branches, high-density transport hub outlets, and franchise arrangements. Dower will oversee day-to-day store operations, supply chain execution, commercial trading, and format modernisation across both estate-owned and franchised doors.
A primary operational focus will involve the continuing expansion of the group's quick-commerce channels. Co-op has scaled rapid-delivery tie-ups with aggregator platforms including Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats, while operating its own digital storefront to capture high-frequency grocery and top-up missions.
"I'm delighted to be joining Co-op at such an important time for the business," said Dower. "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."
Executive Background
Dower joins the organisation with more than two decades of senior operational and commercial leadership experience spanning multiple international grocery markets, convenience retail, foodservice, and FMCG brands:
Holland & Barrett: Served as Chief Executive Officer International, where he directed commercial turnarounds across overseas retail markets, restructured the retailer's private-label range, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Woolworths Australia: Acted as Chief Commercial Officer for the Australian supermarket operator, overseeing an extensive overhaul of the fresh food commercial offer, vendor partnerships, and promotional pricing programmes.
FMCG and High Street Leadership: Held senior commercial and management roles across major consumer brands and retailers including Tesco, Pret A Manger, Harrods, Mars, and PepsiCo.
Throughout his career, Dower has concentrated on commercial turnarounds, category restructuring, and store-level execution across competitive retail landscapes in the UK and overseas.
Commercial Strategy for Co-op Food
Dower’s appointment aligns with ongoing operational adjustments across the Co-op food estate.
In his new role, executive focus will centre on accelerating volume growth within convenience retail, refining the member-value proposition, and strengthening store layouts and fresh product offerings. The business has continued to direct capital toward store refreshes, automated self-checkout technology, and expanded member pricing schemes under the Co-op Membership platform to defend market share amid intense competition from conventional supermarket multiples and discount grocers.
