The Co-operative group: awaiting Myners review

The five new member directors set to join the group board of The Co-operative Group next month include a former Co-operative Bank worker, a current employee of The Co-op Group and a former member of the FSA Wales advisory committee.

Their appointments were announced last month following the society’s annual board electoral process. They join ahead of the publication of Lord Paul Myners’ review into the society’s much-criticised corporate governance.

Frank Nelson worked for The Co-op Bank for 33 years, more than 20 of which were as an elected director of the Bank and group pension schemes.

Andrew Donkin has worked for The Co-op Group for 21 years and has been a regional board member for nearly eight years. He’s currently technical manager for depots at the society.

Formerly of FSA Wales, David Smith is a food policy advisor and has been an elected member of The Co-op Group since the mid-90s. The other two members - Robert Harber and David Morrow - have been active members of the society for 20 and seven years respectively.

Donkin said he recognised he was joining the board at a time of great scrutiny. “The recent calamity of the banking crisis has highlighted that there needs to be a rethink of the way that people, communities and organisations work together,” he said.

“The Co-op needs to be commercially viable yet at the same time demonstrate that it and its members have a conscience driven by the needs of our society at large.”