Stories

Thu, 26 Mar 2026

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 Co-op boss quits after 'toxic culture' claims reported by BBC

Shirine Khoury-Haq's departure comes after a troubled year, in which the retailer suffered a cyber-attack and faced allegations about its workplace culture.

* Shirine Khoury-Haq is stepping down as CEO of Co-op after 7 years, including 4 as leader
* Her departure comes weeks after the BBC reported claims of a "toxic culture" at the top of the company, with senior staff feeling "fear and alienation"
* The Co-op has denied these claims, but Khoury-Haq's exit follows an annual loss of £126m due to a cyber-attack that hit sales
* Kate Allum, a member-nominated director on the Co-op board, will take over as interim group CEO until a permanent replacement is found
* The company's chair, Debbie White, thanked Khoury-Haq for her leadership and significant contribution during her tenure.