>>Confectionery trading manager, Palmer & Harvey McLane
Slee’s first job at P&H was as a delivery driver 36 years ago. He then moved on to field sales before he was pulled in to cover a sudden buying role vacancy at one of the company’s branch depots. His aptitude for the job was spotted and he rose through senior branch management roles before moving to head office as confectionery trading manager 12 years ago.
He says: “Anything that moves in confectionery at P&H is my responsibility. I am responsible for about 15% of all confectionery in Great Britain.”
He adds: “I’ve always thought of myself as a people’s person and enjoy working with my colleagues and suppliers and like the relationship I have with competitors.”
Confectionery Buyer, Woolworths
Cotton joined Woolworths in November 2003. She started out with buying responsibility for seasonal confectionery and has since taken on kids confectionery and food and alcohol gifts. Prior to Woolworths, Cotton was with TM Retail for three years.
Confectionery buyer, The Co-operative Group
Gee joined the Co-op in 1989 as an admin assistant and worked her way up. She became assistant buyer for confectionery, biscuits and soft drinks in 1998, and in 1999 became trainee buyer. Three years later, she was promoted to confectionery category buyer.
Senior confectionery buyer, Sainsbury
After graduating from Royal Holloway University, Mason joined Sainsbury as a graduate buyer in dairy in May 2000. She then progressed into core grocery. She took up her current post as senior buyer in confectionery, managing all core confectionery in 2003.
Confectionery buyer, Morrisons
Moore joined Morrisons as a director’s secretary in 1991 but became a trainee buyer for pickles and convenience meals six years later. She was then promoted to confectionery buyer in 2000.
She returned to work last year after taking a year out following the birth of her son.
Buying manager, confectionery, Tesco
After Segal moved to the UK from Australia, she started working at Tesco. She has now been in the job 15 months and this is her second appearance on the Six of the Best page. She was also nominated in 2004 by suppliers in her job as confectionery buyer.
Jo Cotton
Lydia Gee
Keely Mason
Lisa Moore
Sharon Segal