Co-operatives UK CEO Rose Marley elected to International Cooperative Alliance board

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Published
16th September 2026
Topic
Co-operatives UK
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New directors of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) in Panama

The Chief Executive of the UK's membership body for co-operatives has been elected an At-Large Director of the International Co‑operative Alliance (ICA) – the global body representing co‑operatives worldwide.

Rose was initially appointed to the ICA board in October 2024, to represent the UK. The Co-operatives UK CEO has now been elected at-large director – a seat that sits independently of any single country – securing her place on the board for the 2026–2030 term. 

Rose was one of 15 at-large directors elected from a field of 24 candidates at the ICA's 2026 General Assembly in Panama, alongside six other returning directors and eight new board memberst. The vote took place at the Panama Convention Centre during the ICA Global Conference, with 116 voters representing 193 members from 66 countries in attendance. Dr Ariel Guarco, who has been in post since 2017, was re-elected unopposed as ICA President.

Rose said: “I look forward to working with the ICA and Co-operatives UK to build a better world through shared ownership and partnership.”

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We face many global and local challenges but co-operatives can provide solutions, impact, fairness and equity if we are bold and ambitious. I am absolutely honoured to be given the opportunity and sincerely thank all of the members that voted for me and trust in me.
– Rose Marley, CEO, Co-operatives UK

As CEO of Co‑operatives UK since 2021, Rose has led the development of a national strategy to grow the co‑operative economy, backed by the UK government and the United Nations, which declared 2025 the UN International Year of Co‑operatives. She chairs the International Co‑operative Working Group (ICWG), which leads the UK movement's international engagement, and is a founding member of the Fund for International Co‑operative Development.

Her work for the ICA includes representing the organisation at the United Nations, speaking at the ICA Global Conference in India, hosting the ICA General Assembly in Manchester and Rochdale, representing the ICA board in Brazil, and taking part in a trade mission to Japan.

Rose Marley outlined the following priorities in her campaign to be elected, including:

  • Growing our movement – building a larger ICA with greater influence, stronger networks and increased global reach
  • Strengthening the ICA – ensuring long-term financial sustainability and good governance so the ICA can better support members across every region.
  • Delivering co‑operative solutions globally – working with governments, international institutions and members to show that co‑operatives offer practical solutions to the world's biggest challenges.

Also elected to the board were: Márcio Lopes de Freitas (Brazil), Attilio Dadda (Italy), Douglas O'Brien (United States), Simona Cavazzutti (Paraguay), Íñigo Albizuri Landazabal (Spain), Maria Eugenia Pérez Zea (Colombia), Marie-Josée Paquette (Canada), Dileep Sanghani (India), Yuyan Wang (China), Yoshito Shinno (Japan), Ünal Örnek (Turkiye), Ryszard jaśkowski (Poland), Abdul Fattah Abdullah (Malaysia) and Bastien Sibille (France), Secretary General of Coop FR.

Read the full announcement from the ICA and watch Rose Marley’s campaign video below.

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