Ferrero is a global, family-owned FMCG business with an iconic portfolio of confectionery brands enjoyed by consumers around the world. With a strong and growing UK presence, Ferrero combines long-term brand building with a clear focus on category leadership, insight-led decision making, and high-quality execution across multiple channels.
The UK business operates within a collaborative, values-driven culture, where Category, Sales, and Trade Marketing teams work closely together to drive sustainable growth. Category management plays a central role in shaping customer strategy, influencing decision-making, and strengthening partnerships across both grocery and non-grocery channels.
The Brief
Ferrero were looking to appoint a Senior Customer Category Manager to support and shape category strategy across the Out of Home, Traditional Trade, and Ireland channels.
This was a strategically important role within the business, responsible for delivering robust category performance analysis, leading range reviews, and providing clear, actionable insight rooted in shopper, consumer, and market data. The successful candidate needed to demonstrate strong capability in turning complex data into compelling “so-what” recommendations, supporting distribution growth, shelf share, innovation sell-in, and long-term category development.
Beyond technical category expertise, Ferrero were looking for a confident stakeholder manager — someone able to influence senior customers, lead joint category planning discussions, and collaborate effectively across functions in a fast-paced environment.
Having partnered with Ferrero previously on commercial and category hires, Allexo were engaged to support the search using our Engage solution.
The Process & Results
Following a detailed briefing call with the hiring manager, Allexo conducted a focused search across the FMCG market, combining proactive headhunting and reaching out to our established Category & Insights network.
Our approach prioritised candidates with:
- Strong customer-facing category management experience
- Exposure to multiple channels, including OOH, convenience, wholesale or traditional trade
- Advanced capability in translating data into commercially actionable insight
- Proven ability to influence both internal stakeholders and external customers
Allexo delivered a shortlist of high-quality, relevant profiles in line with the brief. The interview process was well-structured and efficient, allowing clear assessment of category thinking, stakeholder management at each stage of he.
The successful candidate was offered and accepted the role, joining Ferrero from Mondelez with strong customer category experience and immediate credibility across the channels in scope.
