Discover Greggs' people-first leadership philosophy that transformed a regional bakery into Britain's £2bn food-to-go powerhouse through inclusive, values-driven management.
When Roger Whiteside stepped down as Greggs CEO in May 2022 after a transformational nine-year tenure, he handed over the reins to Roisin Currie, the retail and property director who had played a key role in developing the business over many years. This leadership transition exemplifies the fundamental question that has captivated business observers: what leadership style propelled Greggs from a regional bakery chain to Britain's dominant food-to-go retailer, achieving sales of £2.01bn in 2024?
The answer lies not in a single leadership archetype, but in a sophisticated blend of transformational and people-centric leadership that has created what industry insiders call "the secret sauce" behind Greggs' remarkable success. This leadership philosophy has enabled the company to navigate unprecedented challenges, from digital transformation to pandemic recovery, whilst maintaining its position as one of Britain's most beloved brands.
Understanding Greggs' leadership approach offers valuable insights for executives seeking to balance operational excellence with authentic stakeholder engagement. As we shall explore, the company's leadership model demonstrates how traditional British values of fairness and community can drive extraordinary commercial performance in today's dynamic marketplace.
Greggs' current leadership philosophy didn't emerge overnight. When Roger Whiteside joined Greggs in 2013, it was facing challenges on the high street according to analysts, both macro-economic and as a result of structural decline in footfall. The transformation that followed would establish a leadership blueprint that continues to define the company's approach today.
Whiteside's stewardship has been described as "transformational" by industry commentators, establishing the foundational principles that current CEO Roisin Currie has built upon with her unique approach to retail leadership that combines operational expertise with a passion for social responsibility. This evolution reflects a deliberate shift from traditional command-and-control structures towards a more inclusive and empowering leadership model.
The leadership transformation was necessitated by Greggs' ambitious growth strategy. Over recent years, the company transformed its supply chain and technology infrastructure to create a centralised food-on-the-go business model, requiring leaders who could manage complex change whilst maintaining the company's distinctive culture.
At the heart of Greggs' leadership style lies an unwavering commitment to people-first principles. The company's values commit them to being "friendly, inclusive, honest, respectful, hardworking and appreciative", with leadership behaviours explicitly designed to embody these characteristics.
CEO Roisin Currie exemplifies this approach, describing Greggs as "a really humble brand" where "it is not about the ego of the person who happens to have the title of CEO – it really is about the sum of the team". This philosophy extends beyond mere rhetoric, manifesting in tangible policies and practices that demonstrate genuine care for the workforce.
The people-first approach is particularly evident in Greggs' approach to recognition and reward. Every year, 10% of profits are shared among colleagues, whilst the company offers two share schemes that give people an opportunity to own part of the business. Such practices reflect leadership thinking that views employees as partners rather than mere resources.
Greggs' commitment to inclusive leadership extends beyond traditional diversity initiatives. The company has signed up to the British Retail Consortium's Better Job Diversity and Inclusion Charter and the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter, demonstrating systematic commitment to creating environments where all voices are heard and valued.
Roisin Currie has been particularly instrumental in establishing the Greggs Fresh Start programme, through which candidates who might not normally apply through mainstream recruitment processes are encouraged to apply. This initiative exemplifies how leadership philosophy translates into operational practices that create genuine opportunity for marginalised communities.
Greggs' leadership style truly shines in its approach to transformational change, particularly during the company's digital evolution. During the pandemic, Greggs "almost doubled" the size of its tech teams, believing that technology would be an enabler for workers on the shop floor.
However, the leadership approach to technology adoption reveals sophisticated change management capabilities. The company was conscious about adopting technology in the right way, developing "solutions that worked for our shop teams – that were simple and effective". This demonstrates leadership thinking that prioritises human impact alongside operational efficiency.
The transformation process also revealed how Greggs' leaders leverage existing capabilities. The company realised it had more than 28,000 ready-made "ambassadors" – its retail employees – who could adopt its customer-facing technology. This insight reflects leadership that understands how to mobilise organisational assets through engagement rather than imposition.
CEO Roisin Currie has articulated the business success philosophy: "we have kept pace with the consumer. Where they want to shop, how they want to shop, what they want to buy: we have constantly changed and evolved". This customer-centric vision is balanced with deep operational understanding developed through her progression from HR roles to retail operations.
The combination of strategic thinking and operational empathy enables Greggs' leadership to make decisions that serve multiple stakeholder groups simultaneously. Despite challenging trading conditions, Currie has expressed confidence that Greggs is well-equipped to continue delivering "value leadership" while handling cost inflation.
Greggs' leadership style is characterised by authentic commitment to stated values, creating what organisational psychologists term "values-behaviour alignment". The company's core values include accountability, diversity, quality, collaboration, passion, integrity and leadership, with leadership behaviours consistently demonstrating these principles.
The Greggs management understands the importance of communicating the core values so that each employee could accept and modify behaviour accordingly. This approach reflects sophisticated understanding of how authentic leadership creates psychological safety and organisational commitment.
The authenticity of Greggs' leadership approach is perhaps best illustrated by their approach to social responsibility. During the pandemic, the Greggs Foundation increased support including hardship grants and food shopping vouchers, with involvement from people across all of the business helping teams feel part of their community effort.
Trust-building through consistent action represents a hallmark of Greggs' leadership approach. Roisin Currie serves as Chair of the Employers' Forum for Reducing Re-offending and is a trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh Charity, demonstrating personal commitment to the social values the company espouses.
This consistency between personal and corporate values creates what leadership theorists call "authentic leadership presence" – the ability to inspire confidence through genuine commitment rather than manufactured charisma.
Greggs' leadership model emphasises collaboration and empowerment rather than hierarchical control. The company's outstanding people skills and empathy have been identified as key factors in taking the business to new heights, with leaders creating environments where teams can flourish independently.
The company's "fabulous culture" has been described as evidenced by the fact that many employees who enter the business stay on and rise through the ranks of the organisation. This retention pattern suggests leadership practices that create genuine career development opportunities rather than mere employment.
The collaborative approach extends to external partnerships. Greggs has developed strong relationships with universities like Northumbria, taking on student placements and employing graduates who have secured permanent employment and are progressing swiftly into senior positions.
Greggs' approach to leadership development reflects long-term thinking about organisational capability. Many university recruits have secured permanent employment with Greggs and are progressing swiftly into increasingly senior positions, suggesting systematic investment in leadership pipeline development.
Roisin Currie completed the Senior Executive Programme at London Business School in 2019, demonstrating personal commitment to leadership development that extends beyond the immediate requirements of her role. This commitment to continuous learning creates organisational cultures where development is valued and supported.
Perhaps nowhere is Greggs' leadership style more evident than in their response to unprecedented challenges. During the pandemic, the company's first priority was to invest in making operations Covid-secure, giving colleagues and customers confidence to continue providing essential services.
The adaptive leadership approach balanced immediate crisis response with long-term strategic thinking. For customers working from home, Greggs partnered with Just Eat to rapidly roll out delivery nationwide together with in-house Click and Collect services, demonstrating agility without compromising core values.
Industry analysts noted that the crisis "accelerated existing trends in customer behaviour and will create new opportunities for those that adapt to meet these needs best", with Greggs' leadership successfully navigating this complex landscape.
The pandemic response revealed how Greggs' leadership maintained focus on purpose alongside operational adaptation. CEO Roger Whiteside recognised teams' magnificent work coping under difficult circumstances and brought forward planned 2022 pay awards, demonstrating leadership that prioritises people welfare during challenging periods.
This approach to crisis leadership creates organisational resilience by building loyalty and commitment that extends beyond immediate financial incentives.
Greggs' leadership effectiveness is ultimately measured through sustained performance delivery. Under Roisin Currie's leadership, Greggs reported record-breaking sales of over £1.5 billion in 2022, marking a significant 17.8% increase in like-for-like sales.
The performance trajectory reflects leadership that balances growth ambition with operational discipline. Currie aims to double sales by 2026, which includes expanding Greggs' store network across the UK to reach over 3,000 locations, demonstrating strategic vision combined with practical execution capabilities.
Industry commentators have noted that during challenging periods including the introduction of the National Living Wage and major shifts in consumer eating habits, Greggs succeeded in avoiding the profit warnings that marred many other listed consumer groups.
The leadership approach to growth reflects long-term thinking that balances stakeholder interests. The company's ambition to double sales revenues requires significant investment in manufacturing and logistics to increase capacity, whilst maintaining the cultural values that differentiate the brand.
Despite facing increased cost pressures and reduced consumer confidence, leadership has expressed confidence in continuing to deliver "value leadership" while handling cost inflation, demonstrating strategic resilience combined with operational flexibility.
Effective communication represents a cornerstone of Greggs' leadership approach. Roisin Currie's communication style includes constant references to the importance of "our people" and "the 32,000 Greggs colleagues that make the difference every day", demonstrating genuine appreciation rather than corporate rhetoric.
The communication approach extends beyond internal audiences. When receiving the prestigious Grocer Cup award, Currie chose to receive the trophy in a Greggs shop and insisted on sharing the celebration with staff behind the counter, exemplifying leadership that prioritises team recognition over personal aggrandisement.
This authentic communication style creates what organisational psychologists call "psychological ownership" – the sense that everyone contributes to collective success rather than individual achievement.
Greggs' leadership communication strategy extends to external brand building. The company maintains customer-centricity as "an overriding theme" with leaders driving "a lot of decisions out of customers" rather than internal preferences or convenience.
This customer-focused communication creates brand loyalty that transcends traditional price-value relationships, enabling sustainable competitive advantage in highly competitive markets.
Greggs' leadership demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how to balance heritage with innovation. As the business has evolved from challenger to establishment, the question for new leadership is "how does the business continue to reinvent itself and stay in tune with its core market".
Looking ahead, the brand plans to broaden appeal and drive growth among new and existing customers through "menu development, marketing and extension into new channels and dayparts", demonstrating strategic thinking that builds upon proven foundations whilst exploring new opportunities.
The innovation approach reflects leadership that understands how to manage creative tension between stability and change, ensuring evolution without losing core identity.
Greggs' leadership style offers valuable lessons for executives navigating today's complex business environment. The combination of people-first values, transformational vision, authentic communication, and adaptive execution creates a leadership model that generates both commercial success and stakeholder loyalty.
Key principles include prioritising employee engagement as a driver of customer satisfaction, maintaining authentic commitment to stated values during challenging periods, and building collaborative cultures that enable innovation whilst preserving core strengths.
The leadership approach demonstrates how "profitability and purpose" can be combined to create sustainable competitive advantage, particularly relevant for organisations seeking to build resilient business models in uncertain economic conditions.
Greggs' leadership style represents a distinctly British approach to business transformation – combining pragmatic execution with authentic care for people and communities. The company has been recognised as having "outstanding people skills" and "empathy" as key factors driving success, qualities that remain relevant across industries and geographies.
The transition from Roger Whiteside to Roisin Currie demonstrates how effective leadership philosophies can transcend individual personalities, creating organisational capabilities that endure beyond specific tenures. As described by industry observers, Currie represents "a rare example of a CEO from an HR background" whose approach has influenced leadership style throughout the organisation.
Looking forward, Greggs' leadership model provides a template for organisations seeking to build sustainable competitive advantage through people-centric approaches. In an era where talent retention and authentic purpose increasingly drive business performance, the Greggs blueprint offers both inspiration and practical guidance for executive leaders across industries.
The company's remarkable journey from regional bakery to national icon demonstrates that effective leadership isn't about charismatic individuals, but about creating systems, cultures, and values that enable collective success. As British business continues to evolve in response to global challenges, the Greggs leadership philosophy offers enduring principles for sustainable growth and stakeholder value creation.
What specific leadership style does Greggs use? Greggs employs a transformational and people-centric leadership approach that combines authentic values-driven decision making with collaborative empowerment. The style emphasises employee engagement, customer focus, and sustainable growth through inclusive practices.
How has Roisin Currie's leadership approach differed from her predecessor? While maintaining core values established during Roger Whiteside's tenure, Roisin Currie has brought enhanced focus on social responsibility and people-centered leadership, combining operational expertise with passionate commitment to community impact.
What makes Greggs' leadership philosophy effective in retail? The effectiveness stems from maintaining customer-centricity as an overriding theme whilst developing solutions that work for shop teams, creating alignment between employee experience and customer satisfaction.
How does Greggs maintain its culture during rapid expansion? The company maintains culture through explicit commitment to values including being "friendly, inclusive, honest, respectful, hardworking and appreciative", supported by profit-sharing schemes and systematic leadership development programmes.
What role does employee empowerment play in Greggs' leadership model? Employee empowerment is central, with the company viewing its 28,000+ retail employees as "ready-made ambassadors" who can adopt and champion new initiatives, creating ownership rather than mere compliance.
How has Greggs' leadership adapted to digital transformation challenges? Leadership approached digital transformation by developing "solutions that worked for shop teams – that were simple and effective", prioritising human impact alongside technological capability.
What lessons can other retailers learn from Greggs' leadership approach? Key lessons include prioritising authentic employee engagement over short-term cost reduction, maintaining consistent values during periods of change, and building collaborative cultures that enable innovation whilst preserving organisational strengths.