Co-op’s Ashleigh Parker on food waste, dogs and spreadsheets

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Ashleigh Parker Coop Head of finance

Name: Ashleigh Parker

Job title: Head of finance – capital & investments

Company: Co-op

What was your first job? On the shop floor of a retailer during the day, and in a bistro in the evenings. I had fantastic managers who taught me business fundamentals from the frontline – lessons that were unknowingly instrumental in my career. I also got to taste some incredible dishes and wines; the bistro’s cellar was a treasure trove.

What’s been your worst job interview? The interviewer arrived late, then spent most of our time replying to emails, then didn’t respond kindly when I later declined the role.

What was the first music single you bought? A1’s Take on Me.

“It’s a privilege to demonstrate that grocery finance is so much more than spreadsheets”

How do you describe your job to your friends? Unrelenting but highly rewarding. I love sharing behind-the-scenes insights of the industry with them, explaining the capital and strategy deployed to bring new features to life. It’s a privilege to demonstrate that grocery finance is so much more than spreadsheets.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? Playing a part in moving multimillion-pound projects from concept to reality and taking my team on the adrenaline journey. Seeing big bets – and hard work – pay off is always really special.

What is the least rewarding part? Navigating the friction between the governance and responsibility required of a national retailer, and the pace required to stay competitive in a perpetually disrupted industry.

What is your motto in life? Diamonds are formed under pressure. A graduate once said this to me when I was grappling with my first rodeo as a line manager, and it stopped me in my tracks. It is a reminder to lean in and elevate during the most challenging times.

CoOp On The Go Altrincham (9)

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? A ski chalet – a cosy space to reset, host my most precious people, and enjoy the snow.

The clarity of mountain air and total change of focus on the slopes is magic for the mind.

Do you have any phobias? Unfulfilled potential. We only live once!

If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? Fix the inefficiencies that create the gap between surplus and scarcity. It’s a systemic failure that we have excess waste in one hand, and food insecurity in the other.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? My dog. She’s a privilege and my little darling, and she loves the beach. We’d have a great time!

What animal most reflects your personality? A racehorse. I see life, and my work, as a series of fences and gallops, and have a strong will to win under pressure.

What’s your favourite film and why? I’m more of a reader – for me, a coffee and a good book to recharge is bliss. Although my bookshelves are beginning to get somewhat out of hand.

What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? Confusing pounds and pence whilst presenting to a Very Important Executive as a junior, standing in for my manager and their manager who were both off sick. It was my only slip-up, and the CEO’s grace was a masterclass in composure. I’m a stickler for units now, however.

Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Jade Holland Cooper, founder of the luxury fashion house Holland Cooper. I admire the grit and grace she brings to British retailing. I’d love to swap notes on omnichannel arbitrage and building a brand – and hopefully leave with a new coat or two.

What would your death row meal be? Sizzling fajitas with all the sides and a lightly chilled bottle of new-world pinot noir, enjoyed with family, friends, and the dogs. A giant cheeseboard and rich chocolate fudge cake for pudding.