With over 30 years of international strategy consulting experience, John Cooper has helped businesses navigate economic cycles, cost pressures, and market shifts. Specialising in consumer goods – ranging from pet food to bottled water – he has worked across global markets, supporting companies through transformation and value creation.
Reflecting on the current business climate, he acknowledges the challenges at play. “I’ve been through multiple economic cycles – the dotcom boom, the 2008 financial crash, the M&A surge into China and Russia (and out again), the pandemic, and now, the impact of rising interest rates and significant geopolitical tensions. Consumer spending is under pressure, and cost inflation is hitting across labour, energy, raw materials, and supply chains. It’s a tough environment, but that’s the backdrop we’re working against.”
For sectors like retail and hospitality, cost increases – particularly rising National Insurance and minimum wage requirements, are putting additional strain on already tight margins. “Retailers employ a lot of people at or near minimum wage, so when you add National Insurance on top, margins get squeezed even further. Businesses that were already under pressure are now feeling the impact even more acutely,” he explains.
The role of strategy consulting has evolved significantly over the past two decades. “Early in my career, strategy was all about blue-sky thinking – helping companies decide what to do. But that’s changed. Now, it’s more about transformation and execution – taking that strategy and making it happen. That’s where the real challenge lies.”
Rather than purely advising on direction, Cooper’s work focuses on operationalising strategy, ensuring businesses understand the practical implications of their decisions. “It’s not enough to have a great idea – the difficult part is implementing it in a way that works within the realities of the business.”
For companies looking to expand internationally, understanding cultural and regulatory nuances is critical. “Food habits, for example, are deeply cultural. You can’t just assume that products will be adopted in new markets overnight,” he explains. “Companies often overestimate how quickly consumer behaviour will shift.”
A more effective approach, he suggests, can be targeting key urban centres rather than attempting to enter entire countries at once. “Megacities like São Paulo, Shanghai, and London often have more in common with each other than with rural areas in their own countries and are easier and faster to penetrate. These global hubs are where new ideas and products gain traction fastest.”
Western companies sometimes assume that sustainability is not a priority in emerging markets, but Cooper challenges this perspective. “It’s a misconception that emerging economies don’t care about ESG (environmental, social, and governance) issues. Consumers in these regions are becoming more conscious of sustainability, but the way they prioritise it is different. When people are still securing access to food and basic goods, ESG considerations may not be the first concern, but that doesn’t mean they don’t matter.”
Regulatory environments also play a significant role. “Western companies often assume markets will function like they do at home, but that’s rarely the case. Unwritten rules, informal arrangements, and regulatory complexities can be difficult to navigate – especially in places like China or Russia, where operating frameworks differ significantly from Western norms.”
Private equity firms often acquire businesses with the expectation of driving immediate performance improvements, but that assumption doesn’t always hold. “Simply changing ownership doesn’t magically make a business more efficient,” Cooper says. “If the same management team remains in place, and they aren’t aligned with the new strategy, transformation won’t happen.”
While some firms engage external consultants’ post-acquisition, the real challenge lies in execution. “If you don’t refresh the management team or supplement it with new talent, it’s unlikely the transformation will succeed. Execution requires alignment at every level.”
Supply chain vulnerabilities were exposed during COVID-19, but the risks extend far beyond the pandemic. “Many companies didn’t really know where their supply chains came from until they were disrupted,” Cooper explains. “They understood their Tier 1 suppliers but had little visibility into Tier 2, 3, or 4 suppliers. That lack of transparency made them incredibly vulnerable.”
He sees a clear shift in strategy moving forward. “Regionalisation and near-shoring will become more common, alongside late-stage customisation of products. We’ll also see a move away from excessive product variety – businesses are realising that offering 100 different types of electric toothbrushes is unnecessary and adds non-value adding complexity.”
Reflecting on his experience with major business transformations, Cooper emphasises that successful change must be driven from within. “Transformation needs to be owned by the organisation. You can’t impose change from the outside and expect it to stick.”
He also highlights the need to address the informal structures within businesses. “You can have the best strategy on paper, but if you don’t account for the unspoken dynamics – how teams interact, how decisions are made – it won’t work. The reality of how a business functions is often very different from how it’s supposed to operate.”
Looking ahead, Cooper sees agility as one of the most underutilised strategic advantages. “It’s more than reacting quickly – it requires embedding adaptability into decision-making, talent deployment, and operational structures.”
He also believes organisations must rethink how they use internal data. “Companies invest heavily in customer insights but often overlook the value of understanding their own people. Identifying who excels in what areas and deploying talent effectively can unlock significant productivity gains.”
Ultimately, businesses that succeed in challenging times are those that close the gap between strategy and execution, align leadership with operational realities, and take a disciplined, adaptable approach to transformation. “A perfect plan isn’t the goal – it’s the ability to execute, adjust, and sustain change,” he says.
John Cooper is a strategic and operational consultant with over 30 years of experience helping businesses drive growth, cost optimisation, and transformation. Formally a Director at EY, he now works with corporate and private equity firms to define value creation strategies, accelerate underperforming programmes, and deliver measurable impact.
Specialising in consumer goods, John has worked across industries including beverages, food, consumer electronics, petcare, and healthcare. His expertise spans M&A strategy, cost reduction, supply chain optimisation, and business transformation, with a hands-on approach that ensures strategies are executed effectively.
With projects delivered in 50+ countries, John collaborates with C-suite executives and leadership teams to align strategy with execution, leveraging AI and technology to address complex business challenges. Known for his results-driven and fact-based approach, he helps businesses navigate market shifts, competitive pressures, and operational inefficiencies to unlock long-term value.
