David Cattrall

Background

About David Cattrall

Managing Director | CEO | Growth & Turnaround Specialist Growth-focused business leader with 15+ years of board-level experience across foodservice, retail, and wholesale. Specialist in transformation, diversification, and scaling businesses to record profitability. As MD of Harlech Foodservice, I’ve delivered sustained growth and industry recognition by leading a full business turnaround and repositioning. Key achievements include- Doubled sales from £32m to £65m during tenure, with double-digit growth last year and 20% growth across the last 3 quarters- Driving record profitability: record results in FY24 and on track for £2.9m profit by FY26- Leading a team of 300 colleagues across multiple depots in Wales and the Midlands- Diversified revenues into healthcare, education, and the public sector- Delivered two acquisitions and multiple new depots- Launched industry-first initiatives: Trust Our Prices, MyHarlech loyalty app, Booker Price Comparison- Introduced “Invest to Grow” strategy—profitable reinvestment with 12-month payback now consistently achieved. Recognition includes- Food Wholesaler of the Year – The Caterer Awards 2025 - Sunday Times Best Places to Work UK 2025 - Grocer Gold Awards – Finalist 2025 - LACA Supplier of the Year – Shortlisted 2025 - Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards – Finalist 2025 Previous leadership roles include- Director of Catering, Booker Wholesale – developed scalable, data-driven customer strategies still in place today- Managing Director, Classic Drinks – integrated the business into Booker Group, maximising supplier relationships- Regional Director, Booker Wholesale – oversaw 34 wholesale sites with c.£600m turnover, £20m profit, and staff, while also managing a network of 500 Premier symbol retail stores- Director of Store Development, Booker Wholesale – designed & rolled out a new generation of catering-focused stores, delivering full payback within 12 months. Passionate about giving back to the industry, having raised over for GroceryAid through a series of endurance cycle challenges Proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant (2023), reflecting my commitment to people, culture, & community impact. I am passionate about building customer-led, commercially sharp, values-driven businesses, & developing high-performing teams that consistently outperform. Looking ahead, my long-term aspiration is to continue applying this blend of transformation expertise, strategic leadership, and commercial growth delivery at CEO/MD level within foodservice, retail, or wholesale.