Chief executive James Lowman is to leave the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) in early 2026 after nearly three decades with the trade association.
Lowman joined ACS in March 1997 and was appointed chief executive in November 2006, serving almost 20 years at the helm.
The ACS board - led by retailer Ramesh Shingadia, vice chair Colm Johnson (MD, retail at Booker) and Phil Ponsonby (CEO, Midcounties Co-operative) - has commenced the process for recruiting a successor.
Lowman has led lobbying campaigns to bring about tangible differences to policy on product regulation, trading hours, employment rules and planning policy, appearing before several different parliamentary select committees plus numerous bill committees, and speaking at party conference events and in various policy forums.
He has represented the industry across a wide range of print and broadcast media, speaking with authority on a wide range of issues and explaining the impact of policy on the convenience store sector.
Lowman has also been the sector’s representative on the Department for Business & Trade’s Retail Sector Council and has at various times sat on the boards of Community Alcohol Partnerships, the Proof of Age Standards Scheme and the London Food Board as well as countless industry groups.
Within the convenience retail industry, he has chaired and spoken at countless conferences and events in the UK and as far and wide as Australia, the Middle East, the United States and in Europe.
Under Lowman’s leadership, the ACS has attracted major blue chip retail companies into membership, has grown its network of engaged independent retailers, and has extended its supplier packages to include over 100 of the leading manufacturers and service providers trading with the convenience sector.
Lowman said: “It’s been a fantastic privilege to lead ACS through some exciting and challenging times for our sector. I have loved the work and engaging with such a wide range of people and businesses. This is the best sector anyone could hope to represent, made up of passionate people who are committed to their colleagues and customers and who make an enormous difference to the communities they serve – every day I’ve been inspired by the people around me and by what local shop operators do.
“During a typical week I might be speaking to retailers and colleagues in a store, giving evidence to a select committee, appearing in the media, chairing a conference or meeting a minister - it’s a brilliant and varied job that I will miss. I’ve come to the view that having been at ACS for effectively my whole career, it’s now time for a change and use my experience in some different places, learning new skills and seeing new perspectives while I do that. I’m very much looking forward to the next part of my career.
“ACS has a highly engaged, experienced and talented board and team. I have absolutely no doubt that ACS will go on to even greater success and I’m rooting for the organisation and all of its members. I’m very grateful to everyone who has shown such faith in me, helped me to succeed and given me so much support and genuine friendship. It is a wrench to leave this behind, but the right decision for me now.”
ACS chair Ramesh Shingadia said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to express our deep gratitude to James Lowman for his outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to the ACS over the past nearly three decades. Since taking on the role of Chief Executive in 2006, he has been an extraordinary leader who has transformed the organisation, strengthened its voice in government and the media, and championed the interests of convenience retailers across the UK.
“His vision and drive have delivered industry-leading initiatives, from pioneering research and assured advice partnerships, to building a world-class events programme and expanding our membership to include some of the biggest names in retail. James guided our sector with clarity and determination through the immense challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring our members were supported every step of the way.
“James leaves behind not only a remarkable legacy of achievement, but also a solid foundation for ACS’s future growth and success. His influence will be felt for many years to come, and he departs with the respect and admiration of colleagues, members and industry partners alike.
“James’s leadership has left ACS in a position of real strength, with the structures, talent and momentum to continue building on his achievements, we are confident that his work has positioned the organisation for an even brighter future.”
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