GroceryAid has announced the senior leaders set to take part in this year’s Senior Leader Conversation at D&I in Grocery LIVE!, as the sector prepares to unite under the theme ‘Evolve to Thrive: Make Inclusion your Competitive Advantage’.
Taking place on 9 October 2026 at the InterContinental London – The O2, the flagship event will bring together more than 1,300 colleagues from across the grocery industry to explore how diversity and inclusion can drive stronger businesses, better leadership and long-term commercial success.
The Senior Leader Conversation will feature John Brassington, Managing Director UK at Dr. Oetker; Charlotte Exell, Group Online Director at Morrisons; Imran Rasul, Chief Commercial Officer at Co-op; and An Vermeulen, Vice President & General Manager, Great Britain Business Unit at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
With more than two decades of leadership experience, Vermeulen has played a key role in shaping Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ approach to diversity and inclusion. She is set to share how embedding inclusion into business strategy can strengthen culture, unlock innovation and support sustainable growth.
Exell will offer insight from the front line of digital transformation at Morrisons, examining how inclusive leadership can enhance collaboration, improve decision-making and deliver better outcomes for both colleagues and customers.
Brassington, who brings nearly 30 years’ experience in the FMCG sector, including almost two decades in senior leadership roles, will discuss how businesses can embed diversity and inclusion into their culture and leadership frameworks. His experience spans working with UK and international executive teams to drive strategic change, foster inclusive workplaces and deliver purpose-led growth.
Rasul, recently appointed Chief Commercial Officer at Co-op, oversees the organisation’s five consumer-facing channels as well as internal product and service functions. He will provide a perspective on the commercial impact of inclusive organisations, both within and beyond the food retail ecosystem.
The session is set to be a centrepiece of D&I in Grocery LIVE!, bringing together influential voices from across the industry to explore how inclusive leadership can become a genuine competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.
Siwan Smith, Chair of the D&I in Grocery LIVE! Steering Group and Inclusion and Diversity Manager at Princes Group, said: “We’re delighted to welcome our four panellists to this year’s Senior Leader Conversation. They are recognised leaders who understand that diversity and inclusion are not separate from commercial success—they are fundamental to it.
“As our industry continues to evolve, creating inclusive cultures that attract talent, encourage innovation and better reflect the customers we serve has never been more important. This conversation will provide delegates with practical insight from leaders who are embedding inclusion into the heart of their businesses.”
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D&I in Grocery LIVE! remains the sector’s flagship diversity and inclusion event, bringing together professionals from across the industry to share ideas, challenge thinking and inspire meaningful action. Through a programme of discussions, insights and shared experiences, the event aims to demonstrate how inclusion can help organisations evolve, thrive and build stronger businesses for the future.
