Calgary Co-op names retail veteran Andrew Clarke as new CEO
Clarke brings more than 30 years of retail experience across a dozen countries and brings a focus on cost-of-living pressures facing members.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Calgary Co-op has filled its chief executive role after more than 18 months without permanent leadership, naming Andrew Clarke, a retail veteran with more than three decades of experience across multiple continents.
Clarke, who hails from southwestern England, joins the cooperative from Francesca's, a fashion retailer based in Houston, Texas, where he served as head. His career spans corporate retail across western Europe, the United States, and multiple countries, beginning when he started in his early twenties at Marks and Spencer, where he frequently encountered customers who were also shareholders — an experience that shaped his understanding of member-owned business models.
"When I got the call about Calgary, what really attracted me was the fact that every dollar you spend here in Calgary Co-op goes back into the community of Calgary," Clarke said. "I find that so very powerful, and very motivating as well, for both myself and the team to serve Calgarians better."
Clarke described himself as "a shopkeeper at heart" and cited universal retail principles: taking care of customers (or in this case, members), supporting team members, and leading with passion while remaining present and listening.
Since joining in recent months, he has been working alongside Co-op team members and already has initiatives underway. A price match guarantee program is being trialed to better communicate the value Co-op already delivers to members. "Cost of living is something that is very top of mind for members right now," he said. "One of the initiatives that we've kicked off as a leadership team is a price match guarantee initiative, to really do a better job of communicating where we are already delivering tremendous value for members."
Board chair Sandy Edmonstone described Clarke as "a true leader who understands our cooperative principles."
The facts
Who is Calgary Co-op's new CEO?
Andrew Clarke, a retail veteran from southwestern England with more than 30 years of experience across western Europe, the United States, and multiple other countries.
How long was Calgary Co-op without permanent CEO leadership?
More than 18 months before Andrew Clarke was named to the role.
What initiative has Clarke launched at Calgary Co-op?
A price match guarantee program is being trialed to communicate the value Calgary Co-op already delivers to members, with a focus on addressing cost-of-living concerns.
