Jo Whitfield, the Chief Executive of Co-op Food, is taking a four-month career break to help her two sons prepare for their upcoming GCSE and A-level exams.
The unpaid leave will begin from May with Whitfield saying she wanted to spend more time with her children to “ease the challenge” in what was a “big year” for them.
Steve Murrells, who leads the wider Co-op group, will take over day-to-day control of the food business while she is away.
The Co-op stressed that the opportunity to apply for an unpaid leave of absence is available to all its staff.
Whitfield, who was paid £1.4m in 2020, said: “I can take this time away reassured by the knowledge we have a strong food leadership team who will keep moving our Co-op forward.”
Murrells said: “We will miss Jo and wish her and her family well over the coming months.”
NAM Implications:
- A real first in terms of personal priorities…
- An even bigger first for the Co-op.
- i.e. ‘The Co-op stressed that the opportunity to apply for an unpaid leave of absence is available to all its staff’.
- And given the Co-op is often copied by rivals…
- One to watch.
