Midlands Co-op chief executive, John Fitzgerald, has announced his retirement after a career within the Co-operative Movement that spanned a quarter of a century.
Fitzgerald joined Midlands Co-operative Society in 1998 as retail general manager and in 2001 became the Society’s chief general manager.
In 2005 he was appointed chief executive.
His career in retail began in the early 1970′s when he held a series of positions with Safeway. He joined the Co-operative Movement in 1984 as retail controller for Oxford and Swindon Society (later Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Society).
Fitzgerald is to be succeeded by Martyn Cheatle, the Society’s current deputy chief executive.
Cheatle joined Midlands Co-op in 2001, having previously been finance director at Gala Leisure and prior to this, financial controller at Bass Brewers. He is a fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.
