As Chief Operating Officer UK&I, Lawrence leads our GPO businesses, supporting more than 12,000 existing members and future clients across the hospitality, leisure, health, and education sectors. He is focused on building strong relationships and unlocking lasting business value.
Lawrence brings extensive leadership experience from a range of international organisations across multiple industries. His career includes senior executive roles with Aldi, Tesco, Barclays, and Pizza Express. Following several years in his early career as a Director at Aldi, he went on to become Retail Director at Tesco, where he led a third of their UK large stores business, chaired their Armed Forces Network, and subsequently co-founded and launched JACK’S in 2018 – Tesco’s first new food retail format in over 20 years. He later moved into the financial services sector as a Managing Director for Barclays, followed by becoming the Chief Operating Officer for Pizza Express, where he helped transform the business by driving operational excellence through elevated team engagement; driving record levels of service, productivity, and results.
Outside of work, Lawrence is passionate about athletics and the positive impact sport can have on individuals and society. He is a Board Trustee for Personal Best Foundation (England Athletics’ official charity) and is a former Masters World Champion in the Triple Jump. In 2023, he also co-authored the critically acclaimed best-selling book ‘Triple Jump Trailblazers’, celebrating legendary athletes from the past who have paved the way for the present and the future.
