AN Edinburgh Napier student is to become head of one of the UK’s largest chain of supermarkets – for a day.
Audrey Opdycke-Barnes has been selected for leading recruitment consultancy Odgers Berndston’s CEO for a Day scheme and will take the top job with Sainsbury’s next month.
The 28-year-old, who is currently studying a Masters in Intercultural Business Communication at Edinburgh Napier, will spend a day shadowing current Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coupe at the leading retailer’s HQ in London in November.
The programme – which Opdycke-Barnes is one of only two students from Scottish universities to make the final of – aims to forge closer links between CEOs and emerging talent. It offers students an opportunity to gain first-hand experience of senior management at an early stage in their own careers.
Although a CEO role has yet to be on her radar, the opportunity to take part in the programme was one that Audrey simply could not turn down.
Opdycke-Barnes said: ““I popped in an initial application, worked my way through the stages and after a group interview in London, I’ve made the final 24 – I’m both surprised and delighted to officially have been selected onto the initiative!
“I wanted to challenge myself and was happy just going through the assessment process with a consultancy firm but now I’m looking forward to spending a day with the team at Sainsbury’s.
“Although my career is still very much in its infancy, I’ve always been keen to show that there is a pathway for young women to progress in their chosen field. There are not enough female CEOs in the world.”
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