Ocado Solutions: Grocery giant’s tech solutions division chief is retiring
The chief of Ocado’s technology solutions division will retire in September, leaving a new man at the top of the occasionally embattled firm’s most vital division.
Luke Jensen will quit the role of executive director and CEO of Ocado Solutions, with John Martin, currently a non-executive director, made the new chief executive.
This comes as Ocado has embraced e-commerce, to transform itself from a grocery delivery firm into a fully-fledged tech firm.
Ocado’s share price has been up by about 25 per cent over the last year.
Jensen in particular has urged retail to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), saying last week it “won’t bite”.
Ocado Group’s embrace of technology includes in the process of delivery,
The creeping use of AI and automation has however put jobs at risk, with Ocado announcing 2,000 would go at its Hatfield site earlier this year.
Ocado has also been at the centre of takeover rumours by fellow tech-giant Amazon.
The outgoing boss said he was “honoured to have played a part in the transformation of Ocado from a UK retail company to a global leader in technology solutions.”
“With the roll-out of its latest innovations underway, Ocado is better placed than ever to support its partners to win in their markets, and to forge new partnerships with leading grocers across the globe.”
Ocado Group said he was leading in order to focus on other roles outside of the company.
The chief executive of Ocado Group, Tim Steiner, said:
“Over the last six years, Luke has played a key role in our transformation into a global technology solutions business.”
“He leaves our Solutions business in a strong position to drive future growth”.
Meanwhile, Rick Haythornthwaite, the chairman of Ocado, heralded new chief John Martin, who “has extensive strategic, operational and financial management experience of running large international businesses.”