Claire Ainscough, CPO at Ocado on Leading People and Culture

Claire Ainscough, Chief People Officer (CPO) at Ocado Group joins Bridgette Hall to explore what it takes to lead the people agenda in a fast-moving, technology-driven business.

As organisations navigate rapid advances in automation, robotics and digital innovation the role of the Chief People Officer continues to evolve. In this episode Claire shares how people leaders can shape culture, design organisations for speed and innovation and ensure the workforce is equipped for the future in a business operating at the intersection of technology and large-scale operations.

Drawing on her experience at Ocado Claire reflects on her leadership journey, the realities of stepping into the CPO role in a complex global business and how People functions can drive strategic impact while supporting high performance across diverse teams.

Discussion points include:

• Claire’s leadership journey and what attracted her to Ocado
• How the CPO role balances day-to-day leadership with long-term strategic impact
• Designing organisations and cultures that support innovation, pace and high performance
• Workforce planning, skills and reskilling as automation and robotics evolve
• Attracting and retaining critical engineering and digital talent
• What the high-performing People function of the future will look like

A must-listen for senior people leaders looking to build high-performing organisations, navigate technological change and shape the future of work.