John Callaghan

GlobalScot John Callaghan

GlobalScot John Callaghan talks about company support

A little bit of help from the right person at the right time can make a huge difference to the success of a business venture. And the GlobalScot network can provide a perfect platform to offer that vital helping hand. That’s the message from John Callaghan, the Jakarta-based President and CEO of retail giant PT Hero, who believes the network is a huge, worldwide resource, which more developing Scots companies should use. He’s also keen to see more Scots business leaders get involved, to help the network continue to grow.

Born in Glasgow and educated in Rothesay, the 59-year-old started out – quite literally – on the shop floor mopping up spills in Safeway stores. He made his way through the ranks to running stores, and then playing a key role in running companies. He was part of the management team brought in to turn round the fortunes of Asda. He has worked all over the UK as well as Canada, South Africa, Hong Kong, Malaysia and now Indonesia. Despite his extensive travels, his heart remains in Scotland.

John said: “There is a huge amount of knowledge out there, with Scots at the top of businesses all over the world. Through the GlobalScot network, they can obviously offer advice about their particular business sectors and the regions in which they operate.
“But as people who run companies, they can also use their experience to provide valuable guidance on the broad principles of business to help small companies grow big.” John’s 40-year career means he is well-qualified to offer advice on the key elements of business success.

He added: “Like all GlobalScots, I am very passionate about Scotland and love doing anything I can to help the country and its people. “I first heard about the GlobalScot network through my daughter, who was working at the time in the Scottish Government. I made inquiries to see if I could play a part in what the organisation seeks to achieve, and decided to offer my assistance.”

John stresses that GlobalScots can offer vital assistance without detracting from their own business commitments. “Small things – such as a simple telephone call – can be an enormous help to a developing business. If they don’t know where to get information they require, a simple telephone call to a GlobalScot can provide the answer. If the person they are talking to doesn’t know the answer, they can connect with rest of the global network to point people in the right direction. And somebody who has run a company can also pass on general business advice.”

Biography

Having started in retail 40 years ago, John has developed his career in various countries including Canada, South Africa, Ireland, Hong Kong, Malaysia and in recent years, Jakarta. John has held senior positions with a number of major retail companies both in the UK and abroad. Over the course of his career he has built up a strong network of colleagues around the globe who can assist Scottish companies. John is currently CEO of Hero, the largest supermarket group in Indonesia which operates hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacy, health and beauty outlets.