An 18-year-old business man from Fife is aiming to get the top job at Nisa Retail, the member-owned convenience store with £1.6 billion in sales.
Harris Aslam, already a non-executive director on the board of the company, has launched a campaign to become chief executive of Nisa after current chief executive Neil Turton announced last month his intention to depart to join a start-up.
Nisa, one of Britain’s biggest private companies, supplies more than 1,000 independent shopkeepers with food and drink.
Mr Aslam runs a chain of three Nisa stores in Fife as a director if his family’s business, Eros Retail. In 2011, he was one of nine candidates selected to create DIY-retailer B&Q’s first Youth Board. In addition, the ambitious retailer is also studying for a law degree from Abertay University, an MA from the University of St Andrews as well as some accounting qualifications.
Nisa’s chairman Chris Baker is due to engage headhunters to find Turton’s replacement.
Nisa said: “Anybody can apply for this, but when push comes to shove, we have a robust process in place with an executive search firm.
“It’s going to be someone who’s suitably experienced and with a very strong background in executive-level management who will get the position.”