Martin Dudley Beaumont CVO (born 6 August 1949) is a British businessman who was, until October 2007, the chief executive of the Co-operative group, today a £9.4 billion turnover enterprise employing in excess of 85,000 people across a diverse portfolio of businesses.

Early life

He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he studied Land Economy.

Career

During his tenure, he continued extensive restructuring and modernisation of the group - which spans food stores, funerals, pharmacies and financial services. In particular, he reshaped the portfolio of businesses, implemented a strategy to rejuvenate the brand and reintroduced the Coop dividend. From 1992 for ten years he was CEO of United Cooperatives where he grew turnover to £1.3 billion, overseeing the expansion of its trading base and a consistent growth in profits. He was also deputy chairman of

The Co-operative Bank The Co-operative Bank plc is a retail and commercial bank in the United Kingdom, with its headquarters in Balloon Street, Manchester. The Co-operative Bank is the only UK high street bank with a customer-led Ethical Policy which is incorporat ...

. A

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

graduate, Martin Beaumont spent the first 16 years of his career with

KPMG KPMG International Limited (or simply KPMG) is a multinational professional services network, and one of the Big Four accounting organizations. Headquartered in Amstelveen, Netherlands, although incorporated in London, England, KPMG is a net ...

, becoming a partner with general practice and management consultancy responsibilities. Amongst several non-executive and advisory roles, he is chairman of the UK Retail skills council Skillsmart since 2007. He is also Chairman of Chester Races and Kind Consumer

Personal life

He married Andrea Wilberforce in 1976, and they have three daughters. Beaumont was appointed by Her Majesty The Queen as

High Sheriff of Cheshire This is a list of Sheriffs (and after 1 April 1974, High Sheriffs) of Cheshire. The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most ...

for the Shrieval Year 2013/2014 He was appointed

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

(CVO) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for his services as a member of the Duchy of Lancaster Council.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beaumont, Martin 1949 births Living people Alumni of Magdalene College, Cambridge British retail chief executives Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order English businesspeople in retailing High Sheriffs of Cheshire The Co-operative Group