Mike Bracken, the chief digital officer for The Co-operative Group has announced that he will leave later this summer.
Bracken, formerly the Government’s chief data officer and director of digital, took up the role in 2015. His job was to drive digital content and strategy across the Group.
“It’s been a brilliant two years with a fantastic organisation. As I said when I joined, my focus was to create a Co-op fit for the digital age, based on an open, agile culture and excellent digital services,” he explained.
He admitted that he’d originally intended to only work a 3-day week, but ended up devoting more time to the retailer and less to his non-executive work, which is the reason for his departure.
“As I said when I left the Government Digital Service, I wanted to continue to help other government colleagues globally. In addition to Public Digital work with government and conglomerates in Peru, Canada and Uruguay and several other countries,” he wrote in his blog.
He has also been named Visiting Professor at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London and has become an adviser to the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Centre for Public Impact.
“I leave the Co-op digital strategy in the capable hands of the Co-op Digital Team who have worked incredibly hard over the past two years. Almost a year ago we relaunched our membership platform and, as of today, have hundreds of thousands of new members, and over 4.5 million active members. Those members have given more than £9 million to support local causes. That’s part of what makes the Co-op such an amazing place to work – their emphasis on the local community and always giving back,” he concluded.
“I am very proud of The Co-op and Co-op Digital in particular, and am grateful for the support the team has received through the rebuild period. I hope to see the organisation prosper in the digital economy, as the team is now in place to make good on that promise. I wish the Board, Executive and colleagues all the best. We need a vibrant Co-op to work for our communities and I am sure the organisation is well set for success.”
