A quick chat with Sarah Guest, Managing Director of Rowan International, about her career and how the company has managed to thrive in the excess stock industry over the past few years
What are your biggest career achievements?
After working for brands including Abel & Cole and BHS I relished getting to grips with the excess stock sector before guiding Rowan through the tumultuous times of Brexit, the pandemic and Ukraine war which have all hugely affected the supply chains in the FMCG world. Since then, I’m proud of how Rowan has built its market share in Europe and re-established partnerships by seeing people face to face post-pandemic.
Who has been the biggest inspiration to you?
My grandad was a huge inspiration for me when it came to business. He built a brilliant company as a greengrocer, making home deliveries decades before Abel & Cole was launched! It wasn’t until he died that I learned he couldn’t read or write as his dyslexia wasn’t recognised back then. He really showed me I could do anything I could put my mind to.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
At 16 I put my mind on being an MD – I didn’t know what sector but I knew I wanted to do something I could learn and grow and challenge myself.
What are your interests outside work and how do you maintain a work-life balance?
Everyone at Rowan works hard so it’s important for all of us to take holidays. Quality time with family is very important to me and every year we go to Fowey in Cornwall to walk, eat and talk. A yoga class once during the working week is also a must!
What approach do you take in business?
I endeavour to always be hard-working, dedicated, inspirational and open to ideas in my daily work. At Rowan I hope I’ve created a business which people enjoy working in and where they feel inspired to push themselves further. I hope I always treat others how I want to be treated myself and am respectful and supportive, helping colleagues to be as good as they can be at work. I know I can be relentless but then again, so is the FMCG sector!
What's the biggest challenge you've faced at Rowan?
I’m particularly proud of how Rowan overcame Brexit. It wasn’t easy but we adapted and problem-solved until we got to a place where we had the right strategy which allowed us to operate seamlessly in a pre-Brexit world. We established partnerships, changed our logistics and made the right connections. We got through it and are now growing!
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I helped launch the first digital editions of glossy magazines including Red and Good Housekeeping.
Sarah's biography
Sarah studied Economics at York University after which she worked for a research agency whose clients included Three, United Biscuits and Arla Foods. She then moved to London to work on research projects with the BBC then to Hearst Media to work as Research & Insight Manager on glossy magazines including Cosmo, Men’s Health and Harper’s Bazaar. For three years, she worked as Head of Insight and then Head of Product Marketing for the organic food delivery service Abel & Cole. Following stints at high street brand BHS.com and building company AVS Fencing Supplies Sarah joined Rowan International in January 2020 as Digital Director before being appointed Managing Director in Dec 2022.
This is an edited version of a feature which appeared in Cash & Carry Management in September 2024
