Jason Gissing

Ocado co-founder Jason Gissing was thrown back into the limelight last week as he stepped up to the newly created role of commercial director.

Gissing’s change of responsibilities came as finance director Andrew Bracey revealed he is to leave the online grocery business in April – a departure that raised anew questions about Ocado’s prospects. Gissing is now responsible for buying, supplier and customer relationships, marketing and brand development.

It should suit a man who likes business building, but not number crunching – he famously said pre-Ocado float: “I would rather shoot myself than be a finance director of a listed company.”

However, he has plenty of experience poring over balance sheets and admits it will be helpful. “I spent almost 10 years as the chief financial officer and therefore have an understanding of the commercial mechanics of this business,” he explains.

As part of the new commercial role Gissing will get to continue to focus on environmental and sustainability issues – one of his passions.

And he will presumably be happy to shed the cumbersome title of director of people, culture and communication – a title he has previously described as sounding “like someone from Leonid Brezhev’s politburo”.

“In many ways the change of title doesn’t change much. We have never really stuck to the job titles we have.

I think that is common for all founders of companies. But I hope to do the ‘official job’ well. If I don’t, then we will ask someone else to do it.”

This refreshing matter-of factness makes for good column inches but has got him in hot water before. In fact, in the lead up to Ocado’s float in 2010, Gissing was reportedly kept out of the public eye for fear of him making any colourful remarks that would put Ocado in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Gissing – the fashion-conscious husband of Diana Ross’s stepdaughter and retired professional skier Katinka – shuns the corporate suit image. Little surprise, as he was one of three Goldman Sachs bond traders – alongside Tim Steiner and Jonathan Fairman – who tired of the City and quit in favour of a tiny rented room in Victoria and the dream of an online grocery business with a focus on service, quality and ethical trading.

Gissing is part of the English elite. Privately educated, he is a former member of Oxford’s Bullingdon Club – infamous hang-out for the likes of David Cameron and George Osborne – and a member of prestigious lawn tennis association The Queen’s Club.

Born to an English father and Japanese mother, Gissing is known for his sharp wit and can be self deprecating. He has said he sees himself as the lesser-talented ‘Ringo Starr’ among Ocado’s founders.

While the online grocer enjoyed a strong festive period – gross sales increased 16% to £59m in the four-weeks to Christmas – the pressure remains firmly on. Capacity constraints at the company’s Hatfield distribution centre – since ironed out – led it to issue a profit warning on December 20 and all eyes will be on how effectively the firm’s new warehouse in Dordon, Warwickshire, due to open this quarter, comes on stream.

But Ocado’s chief remains confident in the model, and Gissing is focusing on the long term. “I want to continue to grow an exciting business of the future. People forget that we have come from nothing, and now challenge Sainsbury’s and Tesco every day of the week in the one part of their businesses that people agree will get far larger and more important in coming years – the internet.”

A tough job ahead then, and one that will demand Gissing becomes more of a McCartney to Steiner’s Lennon if management is to make the business sing.