Name: Nick Cooper
Job title: Chief financial officer
Company: Quorn Foods
What was your first job? I began my working life as a scientist and my first job was in the lab. But it didn’t take long to realise I lacked the patience for research, and I became an accountant instead.
What’s been your worst job interview? Probably the time I spilt coffee down my shirt an hour before the interview. Thankfully, M&S Marble Arch was just around the corner, so I managed a quick outfit rescue and got away with it.
What was the first music single you bought? Greased Lightnin’ by John Travolta.
“Food production accounts for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and grocery has a critical role to play”
How do you describe your job to your friends? I think most people are familiar with the “flywheel” analogy. A business grows by investing and then reinvesting some of the proceeds from growth. My role is to keep that flywheel spinning, ensuring we have the right funds and that we invest them smartly and effectively.
It’s not the whole story, especially for a purpose-driven company like Quorn, but without that momentum, it’s difficult to deliver the positive impact we want for colleagues, consumers, partners, and the wider world.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Watching the team I’m part of exceed their own expectations.
What is the least rewarding part? It’s been a very challenging few years for the category, and we’ve had to make some tough decisions to turn the business around. Those decisions are never easy for colleagues, and no one enjoys making them.
What is your motto in life? Persistence is a great substitute for talent.
If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? Guaranteed sunshine for the evenings when I ride my bike on the North York Moors after a day at our Stokesley site.
Do you have any phobias? No, none that I’ve discovered so far.
If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? As an industry we need to accelerate progress on our climate commitments.
Food production accounts for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and grocery has a critical role to play through our impact on supply chains, influencing consumer behaviour, and scaling innovation. I’d love to see us all leaning even further into that responsibility.
What luxury would you have on a desert island? I have had a few roles working overseas, including two incredible years in Rio de Janeiro, where I learned to surf.
So, if you’re going to banish me to a desert island I’d like a surfboard to polish up my rusty surfing – and some reassurance that the water is a bit warmer than the North Yorkshire coast, please.
What animal most reflects your personality? Not one I get asked often! But probably a migratory bird or animal that travels long distances with others, so maybe a Canada goose or a wildebeest? Ambitious, adventurous journeys, whether real or metaphorical, with inspiring companions really fire my imagination.
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What’s your favourite film and why? Hunt for the Wilderpeople directed by Taika Waititi. It’s funny, uplifting and a bit quirky. It’s a family favourite, and quotes crop up regularly in family conversation.
What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? Walking onto stage by mistake and alone during my primary school nativity play. One hundred adults laughing at you is not a totally positive experience as a six-year-old.
Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Taika Waititi, see my film choice above. Smart, funny and creative. Of course, I love what our team has done with the Quorn puppets, but maybe a Taika Waititi collab is what we need to take it to the next level!
What would your death row meal be? When we were overseas we also had the chance to live in Shanghai and Seoul, and the food was a real highlight. So, I would choose a Sichuanese or Korean banquet – obviously featuring Quorn’s delicious no-artificial-ingredients Mince or Pieces and Cauldron Extra Firm Tofu.
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