CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Steve Mawby
CEO and transformational leader with a proven track record of delivering strategic growth and operational turnaround across the food, retail, and FMCG sectors. With deep experience in both Asia and Europe, specializing in leading organisations through complex challenges — including market expansion, crisis management, and organisational change.
EDUCATION & EXECUTIVE LEARNING
A lifelong learning commitment to developing strategic, resilient, and commercially astute leadership.
Stephen's leadership foundation is built on a strong academic and professional grounding in business, strategy, and sector-specific expertise. He holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, complemented by a BSc in Marketing and Food Management from Cranfield University — a combination that has underpinned his strategic and commercial capabilities in the food and retail sectors. He has acquired further enhanced executive skills through targeted programs in Strategy Execution (Harvard Business School), Crisis Leadership (INSEAD), and Board Governance (Director Certification, Myanmar Institute of Directors). As a Chartered Institute of Marketing diploma holder and a long-time contributor to the Oxford Retail Summer School — including three years as Group Director. Stephen brings both depth and breadth to leadership, strategy, and category management in complex, fast-evolving markets.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Crisis-tested CEO with deep frontline experience, strategic clarity, and executional know-how.
Over the past decade, Stephen has held senior executive roles driving transformation, growth, and crisis resilience across emerging and frontier markets in Asia. As CEO of Premium Distribution Group in Myanmar (2020–2025), he led a complete business transformation across four business units amidst extraordinary challenges — including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 military coup. His leadership included implementing ISO-9001 quality systems, strategic scorecard planning, and introducing company-wide KPIs linked to Power BI dashboards, all resulting in a record EBITDA and a more agile, values-based culture.Prior to this, Stephen served as COO of All-Discount Co. in Thailand (2017–2020), where he successfully launched 23 stores and built a compelling retail proposition. His earlier C-level experience also includes serving as Food Buying Director at Azerbaijan Supermarket (2016–2017), where he nurtured the food sourcing function to support a rapid expansion strategy. Stephen has consistently demonstrated the ability to deliver commercial results, restructure businesses, and lead through volatility — bringing deep operational expertise and strategic clarity to every executive challenge.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Getting things done, leading with clarity to deliver results with team engagement.
Stephen brings a core skill set essential to effective CEO leadership, combining strategic foresight with operational execution. He is highly proficient in balanced scorecard strategy planning and translating high-level objectives into actionable, measurable outcomes across functions. His crisis leadership has been tested in some of the world’s most volatile business environments, where he has safeguarded performance while steering complex transformations. Stephen also demonstrates strong financial acumen, having driven EBITDA growth and implemented cost-control strategies across multiple business units. His approach to leadership is rooted in building high-performing, values-driven teams, with a focus on coaching, accountability, and cross-functional alignment. Additionally, he has a proven track record in new product development, commercializing innovation in both retail and food service, and applying disciplined project management to deliver results under pressure.
KEY REFLECTIONS & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Leadership Lessons Forged in Crisis, Strategy, and Real-World Business Transformation Experience
Over the course of his career, Stephen has led teams through growth, disruption, and crisis across multiple markets and cultures. Stephen has continuously learned from key lessons, strategic insights, and leadership principles developed along the way — from applying balanced scorecards in volatile environments to building resilient teams under pressure. Stephen's aim is to offer practical reflections that help others navigate complex business challenges with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
GET IN TOUCH
Partnering for Impact: Strategic Connections That Drive Growth, Transformation, and Leadership Success.
Stephen is a crisis-tested CEO who partners with boards, investors, and leadership teams to drive transformation, stabilise performance, and unlock strategic growth — connect to explore how he can support your organisation’s next chapter.