David Chalk

Although a relative newcomer to the co-op movement five years ago, I have spent most of the previous decade representing members' interests in a number of organisations, from governments to industry bodies. These include being a member of Co-ops UK’s Consumer Council, a board member at the Jersey Hospitality Association and the Jersey Opera House, and a national committee member of the Craft Guild of Chefs. I also believe passionately in education and training and am the co-founder of Heat, which is the UK’s premier culinary college competition.

Living in Jersey provides a unique opportunity to promote and live out the co-op values, as we play a large part in many aspects of Islanders' lives. From our baby club, through our food stores and our end-of-life funeral homes, we are one of the largest employers on the Channel Islands and regularly top brand-value surveys for our work on equality and the environment. We have recently introduced a brand new recognition package, which rewards all colleagues from the CEO to our front-line colleagues on an equal set of principles with healthcare available for everyone.

Within the working environment, I am the Chief Transformation Officer for the Channel Islands Co-operative Society, which includes responsibility for the IT, Member Management and Change and Digital teams. In addition to the above, I qualified as an accountant several years ago. Prior to joining the Channel Islands Co-op, retail, logistics and wholesale was the backbone of my career having worked for Littlewoods, Index, Suttons, Sandpiper and Cimandis in senior roles.