Malcolm Chevin on Saying Yes to Opportunity Throughout Life, and Redefining Unretirement in his 70's

When Malcolm left school in 1967, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. His careers advisor suggested he might be good at managing people, a thought that seemed far-fetched to him at the time. But over the next five decades, across construction sites, boardrooms, stadiums and shop floors, that quiet ability to lead and get on with people became his hallmark.

Now 74, Malcolm is still working, by choice, commuting into London to serve customers in the food hall at John Lewis on Oxford street, on the fish and meat counter. He’s one of a growing number of older workers proving that retirement isn’t always the end of working life, just the beginning of working differently.

From Quarry to Boardroom: Saying Yes

Malcolm started his career as a lab technician in a quarry in Markfield, Leicestershire. He quickly found himself drawn to bigger challenges, pushing for more responsibility and gaining qualifications along the way. By the time he was 21, he was managing an entire plant in Kent.

Over the years, he managed quarries and construction sites in Corby, Greenwich, Kent, Somerset, North Wales, Bristol and London, rising to Director General Manager and eventually co-leading a nationwide change management programme following CEMEX’s takeover of RMC. His career took him around the world, including a six-month stint in China recovering unpaid debt and transforming commercial operations.

He became known for his steady presence and his ability to get results without fuss. “I didn’t have high expectations at the start,” he reflects. “But I always did more than was expected, and that got noticed.”

Retirement: A New Chapter

In 2010, at the age of 59, Malcolm took early retirement. “At the time, it felt like the right moment. I’d achieved a lot. But after a while, I realised you can only walk around London so many times before you start to feel restless.”

After a long corporate career, Malcolm could have easily eased into a quieter life, but the restlessness led him to some of the most fulfilling experiences of his life.

When the 2011 tsunami disrupted car exports from Japan, a friend in Sarawak (Borneo) reached out. Their dealership had no cars to sell. Would Malcolm consider sourcing and exporting vehicles from the UK instead? Despite never having bought a car himself - his company cars had always arrived on schedule - Malcolm eventually was persuaded to give it a go.

Malcolm would source suitable cars, negotiate prices, and email listings across to Borneo. If a deal was agreed, he’d arrange collection and delivery to Southampton, where a shipping agent handled the rest. He clocked up miles across the UK, from Scotland to local forecourts. Over 40 cars made their way from the UK to Borneo before Japanese supply lines resumed. Drawing on a lifetime of practical experience, Malcolm turned an unexpected request into a one-man export venture, powered by instinct, grit, and knack for optimising an opportunity!

Volunteering on Purpose

Volunteering became a cornerstone of Malcolm’s so-called retirement. He signed up to help at the London 2012 Olympics and was lucky enough to be based in the main stadium, where he helped spectators, resolved problems, and ensured everyone had a positive experience.

From there, he went on to volunteer at the Ryder Cup, the Commonwealth Games, international cricket matches, the Rugby World Cup, and the World Athletics Championships, where he acted as an attaché for visiting national teams like Trinidad and Tobago and Canada.

“The nice thing about volunteering is you feel like you’re giving people a good experience. For most, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, and you can help make it better. That felt worthwhile.”

He also volunteered closer to home at the Wetlands Trust, meeting and greeting visitors and even giving talks about the wildlife on the reserve.

The John Lewis and Waitrose Chapter: Fitness, Flexibility, Fulfilment

After a decade of volunteering, Malcolm still felt he had more to give. He also wanted to keep fit. So in his late 60s, he applied for a night shift job stacking shelves at Waitrose. “It was a bit random,” he admits. “But I thought it would get me moving, keep me active, and earn a bit at the same time. So I pleaded with the manager to give me a chance.”

He started with two nights a week, then moved up to three. Before long, he was encouraged to apply for an assistant manager role, which he did, and got.

Then came another unexpected turn: he decided to train as a fishmonger and butcher. He stepped away from management and completed an apprenticeship on the meat and fish counters, something he’d always found fascinating.

“I’d spent decades in corporate management. I didn’t need to prove myself anymore. This was about doing something I enjoyed, on my terms.”

Today, despite being diagnosed with cancer in 2022, Malcolm works several days a week. He takes the train from his home in Surrey to Waterloo and still enjoys the daily rhythm and the interaction with customers. As this story is published, Malcolm will be enjoying a week at sea courtesy of the John Lewis Partnership Sailing Club, one of the fantastic benefits that's on offer from his employer, as he continues to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves.

What Employers Can Learn

Malcolm’s story is proof that older workers still have plenty to offer, and that flexibility is key. He didn’t want to keep climbing the ladder, but he did want to contribute, to work hard, and to use his skills in a way that suited his stage of life.

For employers, making space for people like Malcolm means creating part-time, flexible, meaningful roles that take advantage of decades of experience.

Editor's Reflection

Malcolm’s story challenges some of our most persistent assumptions about retirement, that it marks the end of a working life, that ambition and contribution have a fixed expiry date, and that what we do after 60 should somehow diminish us rather than open new doors.

What struck me most was not just how much Malcolm has done since “retiring,” but how naturally he has reframed what work means at each stage of life. At 59, he left a high-pressure corporate career, full of achievements, global travel and responsibility. But instead of seeing that as a full stop, he simply paused, looked around, and said yes to the next opportunity.

Volunteering gave him back purpose and connection in ways he didn’t expect, helping others experience once-in-a-lifetime moments and bringing his quiet care and people skills to new settings. And when he felt ready to re-enter paid work, he chose something that was physically active, customer-facing and entirely on his own terms, from stacking shelves, to managing a team, to learning a craft on the meat and fish counters.

Malcolm shows us that retirement doesn’t have to mean retreat but the opposite. The more Redefiners I speak to the more the theme of working on their own terms surfaces. Unretirement can simply mean realigning, bringing experience, resilience and a love of people into roles that fit the life they want now, not the one they had before.

His story is also a reminder to employers: there are countless people like Malcolm in their 60s and 70s who still want to work, people who have more to offer than you might imagine. With flexible opportunities and an open mind, companies can tap into that wealth of knowledge, capability and commitment.

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