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Alison Cooper was today named as the next boss of Imperial Tobacco, becoming only the fifth woman to head a FTSE company.
The 43-year-old has been with the group since 1999, joining the board in 2007. Presently chief operating officer, she will step up next May when chief executive Gareth Davis retires after 37 years at Imps.
Cooper, a mother of two who describes herself as an “occasional smoker”, was paid £1.3 million last year. She may double this in her new role.
Davis said he was “delighted”. “I know she will do a first-class job,” he added.
Cooper joins Dame Marjorie Scardino at Pearson, Angela Ahrendts at Burberry, Cynthia Carroll at Anglo American and Katherine Garrett-Cox at Alliance Trust. Imperial Tobacco, maker of Lambert & Butler, West and Gauloises cigarettes, today beat City forecasts with an 18% rise in full-year earnings. Profit rose 39% to £2.23 billion on revenue up 29% to £26.5 billion. The full-year dividend is raised 16% to 73p.
Stockbrokers Killik & Co said: “We believe an internal appointment at this stage in the group's development is the right choice.”
