From Checkout to Boardroom – A Journey of Resilience and Reinvention

Karen Scott’s career began in 1987 as a part-time checkout operator while still at school. Fast forward to today,  She is senior leader in Scotland’s retail sector, having steered complex transformations and led businesses through turbulent times. Her story is one of grit, adaptability, and the power of self-belief – qualities that were amplified through her experience on the Executive Women Leadership Programme (EWLP).

Karen’s early years in retail saw her rise quickly through supervisor and management roles, eventually becoming a store manager in her early twenties. A particularly poignant moment came when she returned to manage the very store where she had started – an experience she describes as “full circle.”

Her career evolved into strategic project management, overseeing major integrations and operational transformations at Scotmid and Semichem. In 2017, she was appointed Head of Semichem, a role that demanded not only retail expertise but also leadership across buying, marketing, warehousing, and stock management. Under her guidance, the business returned to profitability through decisive cost-cutting, supplier renegotiations, and operational streamlining.

Yet, despite her accomplishments, Karen admits to experiencing imposter syndrome when she joined Scotmid’s executive team. “I never doubted my ability to run a business,” she says, “but I did question how I would fit into a well-established leadership team.” It was at this pivotal moment that she joined the EWLP in 2018.

Karen credits EWLP with helping her reclaim her confidence and voice. “It gave me the self-belief I needed to speak up in executive meetings. I stopped second-guessing myself and started trusting my instincts.” She found the all-female environment to be uniquely supportive, describing it as a “safe space” where participants could share openly without judgment.

The programme also broadened her perspective. “Meeting women from finance, marketing, housing, and charities reminded me that leadership challenges are universal. We all had similar stories, and we learned from each other.” Karen particularly valued the interactive sessions and the diverse speakers, including one memorable chief executive who shared his experience of navigating a media crisis.

While her network has evolved since the programme, Karen remains a strong advocate for its impact. “It was a defining moment in my career. It helped me see that being myself was enough—and that’s why I got the job in the first place.”

John Brodie, Karen’s then boss and predecessor as CEO Scotmid Co-op, commented: “Karen attended the course at a busy time in her career having just assumed responsibility for the Semichem business but I know that the personal investment was worth it to her.

It backed up her practical experience with new learnings and opened up a network she would not have been exposed to. It also gave her a new-found confidence in her role having completed the programme.

When the time came for her next career move to the role of COO and then more recently CEO, it was very much a positive addition to her CV having been involved in the programme.”

Karen’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of investing in leadership development, especially for women navigating senior roles. As the EWIL alumni from the programme celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2026, her journey sets the tone for a series that will spotlight the resilience, growth, and achievements of its alumni.

This article is part of our Executive Women in Leadership Alumni Spotlight Series, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the EWLP programme in September 2026.

Our EWLP programme has evolved into our Executive Leadership Programme, which is open to all genders and is now running its fifth year. Jointly run by FWB and the University of Edinburgh Business School (UEBS), the Executive Leadership Programme (ELP) is designed to enable the next generation of leaders across multiple ownership classes or organisations within a broad range of private, public and non-profit sectors.

If you are interested in joining our 2026 ELP cohort, please email us at elp@fwbltd.com.