Transforming a 400 Million Pound Business & Navigating Growing Pains in Retail with Former CEO of The Co-Op, Doug Field

Can you scale a £400M business, survive a global crisis, and still put people first?In this episode, Doug Field, former CEO of the East of England Co-op, shares his transformative journey from a chaotic start in leadership to steering a 400 million pound business through significant changes.

He discusses the importance of the cooperative model, the challenges of retail, and the human element of leadership beyond just numbers.

Doug emphasizes the need for trust, integrity, and lifelong learning, while also reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 on employee engagement. He shares his OBE recognition story, the importance of networking, and offers advice to his younger self about embracing opportunities and focusing on people.We interview C-Suite folks, who are living and breathing proof that a people first leadership approach, will always provide a return on investment.

00:00 From Chaos to Leadership: Doug's Journey

03:06 Transforming a 400 Million Pound Business

05:48 The Cooperative Model: Community and Business

08:52 Navigating Growing Pains in Retail

11:59 Leadership Beyond Numbers: The Human Element

14:58 Building Trust and Integrity in Leadership

17:45 The Importance of Lifelong Learning

20:48 Finding Joy and Fulfillment in Work

24:08 Surviving COVID: Strategies for Engagement

27:00 Recognition and Team Effort: The OBE Story

29:47 What's Next: Adding Value and Making a Difference

32:48 Networking Secrets: Building Meaningful Connections

36:10 Advice to My Younger Self: Embrace People and Opportunities

Transforming a 400 Million Pound Business & Navigating Growing Pains in Retail with Former CEO of The Co-Op, Doug Field

Enterprise Alchemy

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