Francis's first board appointment, at the age of 37 and after thirteen years with Marks and Spencer, was as Trading Director of Littlewoods Chain Stores. He progressed through Operations Director to Managing Director of the Chain Stores Division before taking on the Group role of Business Development Director in 1989.

Having set up Littlewoods Trading in Russia in 1990, Francis established a joint venture with Price Club, the founder of the US Warehouse Club phenomenon, and became CEO of Price Club UK Limited in 1993. That same year, Costco took over Price Club worldwide, and Francis took the Operations Director's role in the enlarged UK entity, rising to Managing Director of Costco Wholesale UK Limited in 2004.

In 2006, Francis retired from Costco to take up a portfolio of responsibilities including Chairman of Trellicor UK Limited, Director of Monitor Creative Limited and Director of Chesmait Limited. He is also Chairman of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Aged 58 years. Based in Chester.