Mike CoupeFormer Chief Executive of J Sainsbury’s and Retail Transformation Expert

Mike Coupe is an accomplished corporate leader who served as the Chief Executive Officer of J Sainsbury’s for six years. During a career spanning more than three decades, he held senior positions at major organisations including Unilever, Tesco, and Asda, and served as Managing Director of Iceland. At Sainsbury’s, he managed a vast operation encompassing 180,000 employees and an annual turnover of £32 billion. His tenure was marked by significant strategic moves, most notably the acquisition and digitisation of Argos and the integration of the Nectar loyalty scheme. Under his leadership, Sainsbury's underwent a profound digital evolution, seeing online sales grow from five per cent to over twenty per cent of the total business. He was instrumental in committing the group to reach net zero emissions by 2040 and championed diversity initiatives across every level of the workforce. Beyond the retail sector, he has contributed his expertise in logistics and supply chain management to the public sector as Director of Testing for NHS Test and Trace and as a board member for NHS England. Now a highly regarded chairman and advisor, he provides audiences with a detailed perspective on managing FTSE 100 scale transformations and navigating intense market competition. Organisations book him for his deep understanding of how to balance the requirements of shareholders with social responsibility while leading a business through periods of rapid technological change. On stage, Mike Coupe is best known for talks on Reputation, Digital Business & Strategy, Financial Services, Change Management, Customer Service & Experience and HR & People. Audiences leave with a clear, practical view of the subject rather than a generic overview — every keynote is shaped around the brief and the room. Their work resonates with leaders across Retail & Beauty, where the themes translate directly into team decisions, customer experience and growth strategy. Mike Coupe is regularly booked for Business Speaker, adapting tone, length and format to suit the event — from a 20-minute opener to a full conference keynote with Q&A. To check availability or request a tailored brief for your event, send an enquiry and we'll come back with fees, dates and a short summary of how Mike Coupe would approach your audience.