Tim Steiner left an eight-year career in the city of London in 2000 to start Ocado, betting that automation and digital delivery could transform grocery retail. While his two co-founders (Jonathan Faiman and Jason Gissing) have now left the company, it’s Steiner who has enabled Ocado to evolve beyond its supermarket origins and into a tech-first, billion-pound behemoth.

After positioning its warehouse robotics and fulfilment software as exportable infrastructure for retailers, the Ocado Smart Platform now powers licensing deals with major retailers around the world, including ICA, Coles and soon, Asda. Ocado also runs its UK online grocery business, Ocado Retail, as a joint venture with M&S.

Since floating on the London Stock Exchange in 2010, Ocado has faced repeated investor scrutiny. It was relegated from the FTSE 100 to the FTSE 250 in June 2024 after a sharp fall in its market value. By July 2026, its shares were about 95% below their September 2020 peak.

In July 2026, Ocado confirmed that Steiner would remain CEO through the start of the 2028 financial year, after which he is expected to continue in a founder role during the leadership transition. The company is now targeting full-year cash-flow positivity in FY27.

Despite the turbulence, Steiner – who was awarded an OBE in 2016 – continues to steer the business with the same conviction that has defined his near three-decade project – betting that technological ambition will pay off as Ocado works to outpace rivals in the competitive online grocery space.