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Wicklowman Dalton Philips key to Loblaw Future Success
Eamonn O’Loghlin
As he edges towards the 40 year milestone, Loblaw Companies Limited Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Dalton Philips delights in the challenges laid out for him in this behemoth corporation of 135,000 employees, over 1,200 stores and turnover of $28 billion.
A native of Glenealy County Wicklow, Dalton’s father owned Ballfree Eggs which eventually became part of the Kerry Group. Educated at U.C.D. where he specialized in Urban Geography and Retail Distribution, he went on to do an M.B.A. at Harvard University Graduate School in 1998. In the meantime he had also picked up a Graduate Diploma in Marketing & Business Management from the Dublin Institute of Technology.
His first fulltime job was with Coras Trachtala, the Irish Trade Board, where he worked with consumer and industrial goods manufacturers on the development of new export markets.
He began a spell of globetrotting with a move to Jardine Matheson, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate, where he worked in New Zealand and Australia before moving to Spain in 1995 to head up the group’s supermarket business. After completing his Masters at Harvard he accepted an offer from Wal-Mart and spent seven years with the American corporate giant, first in Brazil and later as chief operating officer of its German business, which had 100 stores and annual sales of about €3 billion.
In all, Philips worked in 10 countries during his 14 years abroad before moving back to Ireland as Managing Director of Brown Thomas. BT, the jewel in the crown of the Weston Irish empire is comprised of four Brown Thomas stores, three BT2s, which caters to 18- to 30-year-olds, and A-wear, a mid priced women’s fashion chain. In 2006, group revenues exceed €210m.
Just over a year ago thirty four year old Galen G. Weston (known as G2) gave Philips the nod and invited him to join the Canadian operation at an extremely challenging time for Loblaws. Faced with increased competition from Philips previous employer Wal-Mart, as well as supply chain problems and non producing stores, the troubled retail giant will test Philips metal to the limit. Loblaw stock prices have been at a 10 year low just recently but Philips is encouraged by what he sees. “I am working with an amazing team under an extremely competent leader (G2)”. “As we strive to integrate the many operations and systems of a very complicated business, we are very confident we are on the right track” Currently about one fifth of Loblaw stores are now testing a program aimed at ensuring the stores are always in stock. Twelve hour, six day weeks are no stranger to Philips and no doubt he will experience many of these in the days ahead as he assists in turning around the big ship that proudly flies the Canadian flag. In these days when ownership of all things Canadian seems to be headed south of the border it is imperative that an icon such as Loblaws regains the leadership we have come to know and enjoy as Canadians. Their President’s Choice products continue to appeal to all budgets and palates with just amazing selection and value.
Dalton and his wife Penny, a niece of Richard Nesbitt who controls Arnotts in Dublin, have now settled in Oakville. Their three children are almost a United Nations to themselves: Isaac - 7 was born in Brazil, Ilana – 4 was born in Germany and recently Ruairi was born right here on Canadian soil. Dalton is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and also speaks Italian. His interests include flying, rugby, skiing, surfing, scuba diving and church affairs.
And what does a busy man like this enjoy reading – “The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey”. His favourite movie of all time - “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
TIN wishes Dalton, Penny & Family a wonderful life here in Canada. We sincerely wish him lots of success with the Loblaw Corporation.