Ocado Retail’s ambient trading director Neil Franklin is departing the company after close to three years.
Franklin said he was leaving the company “a good blend of sad, satisfied and happy” and was doing so to take a planned, short break.
He’ll be replaced – from 7 September – by Ayaz Alam, who is joining Ocado having spent two decades at Asda and serving as trading director at Co-op Nisa.
It is the second time Franklin is leaving Ocado, having served as head of ambient from 2017 to 2020. He was later head of buying at quick commerce player Getir, which exited the UK in 2024.
“I leave as an ally and supporter of the business, knowing I made Ocado better,” Franklin said. “The team will continue to be brilliant. The laughs along the way were great and I gave it everything. It was full on, so for now it is the summer holidays where I will focus on my energy with a lot of cycling and relaxing with my friends and family. Then, who knows?”
In a communication to suppliers, seen by The Grocer, the company said it had also appointed Martha Springham as head of fresh, following Kerry Barker’s move to the company’s supply chain team.
Springham – who starts in the new role next week – had been trading manager for produce, and reports in her new role to Nicola Waller, who Ocado poached from John Lewis in 2024, as trading director for fresh, chilled & frozen.
Springham will retain responsibility for produce and pick up additional responsibility for dairy, chilled juice and bakery. Gia Cazan, trading manager for chilled and prepared foods, will now take responsibility for frozen.
“Neil has played a key role in driving our ambient performance and leading a number of commercial projects, and we want to express our sincere gratitude for his contributions during his tenure,” said Ocado chief commercial officer George Dean.
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