Unitas Wholesale, the largest network of independent cash and carry and delivered wholesalers in the UK, today (Aug 28) announced the appointment of wholesale figure David Cooke as its first Chief Operating Officer (COO).
As part of a restructure of the executive team, the move sees John Kinney step into the role of Chief Executive Officer, following the recent appointment of Gurms Athwal as Trading Director. Gurms, who now reports to David, has also joined the Unitas Board.
Cooke will officially join Unitas Wholesale in September 2025, ahead of the Group’s annual conference in Marbella. In his new role, he will oversee Trading, Commercial, Marketing and Retail, driving initiatives designed to deliver even greater value for members and suppliers.
John Kinney said, “David brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of driving growth through strong supplier and member collaboration.
"He is the ideal leader to help us accelerate our ‘Fitter, Fairer, Faster’ strategy and deliver more benefits for our members and a strong ROI for suppliers.”
Speaking about his appointment, David Cooke added, “I’m thrilled to be joining Unitas Wholesale at such an exciting point in its journey.
"The Group’s commitment to being fitter, fairer and faster perfectly aligns with my own passion for building sustainable growth in partnership with suppliers and members.
"I am looking forward to working with John and the wider team to unlock new opportunities and enhance our retail proposition.”
Chairman Dr Jason Wouhra MBE said, “Strengthening the executive team underlines our commitment to continuous improvement and future-proofing the business.
"Bringing trading, marketing, commercial and retail under one COO puts Unitas in a stronger position to respond quickly to market opportunities and deliver best-in-class support to members.”
Cooke will share his strategic priorities for the year ahead at the Marbella conference.