Richard Pennycook CBE

Richard has a 35 year career in retail and consumer businesses, as a CFO, CEO and Chair. His first management buyout took place in 1989, and since then he has worked for public and private household names including Laura Ashley, Wetherspoons, Bulmers, RAC, Morrisons and the Coop. His last Executive role was as CEO of the Coop, which he turned around following its near failure caused by trouble in its banking subsidiary. He now has a plural career Chairing Boards and coaching Founders, and until recently was the Lead Non Executive at the Department for Education, where he established Skills England at the request of the new Government. A past Chair of the British Retail Consortium, he established and still Chairs the Retail Sector Council, a body which operates under the auspices of the Department for Business and brings together Government, Business and the Trades Unions to promote the health of the retail sector. —