Why Ocado should recruit Dave Clark to solve its commercial woes

Ladd argues that Clark is uniquely qualified to steer Ocado, having designed Amazon’s fulfillment centers and scaled its warehouse automation. The proposal involves Ocado acquiring a 15-25% stake in Auger, with Clark taking the helm as CEO while maintaining his role as Auger’s board chairman. Under this arrangement, Auger’s supply chain operating system would be integrated into Ocado’s partner network, providing a testing ground for its AI-driven decision intelligence.

Ocado’s core technology, particularly its robotics, remains highly regarded, yet the company struggles with commercial execution and unit economics. According to Ladd, Clark possesses the operational brain necessary to repair partner trust and improve financial performance. By bringing in a leader with such deep experience, Ocado could potentially attract major retailers like Walmart and Target to adopt its store-based fulfillment technology. Should Kroger decide to acquire Ocado, Ladd further suggests that Clark would be the ideal candidate to lead the retail giant once Greg Foran departs.