Veteran in Logistics - Martin Hawkes

Hi, my name is Martin Hawkesby. I joined Ocado in July 2016 as a Team Manager at Andover CFC. I had a year and a half break when Andover decided to undergo a rebuild and rejoined Ocado as an Area Manager in February 2021.

Prior to this, I served in the British Army. I joined at the age of 16 in October 1992, into the Royal Artillery. After completing my training, I was assigned to an Air Defence unit where I served for 10 years. I was then posted to an ATR (Army Transformation Roadmap) as an intake instructor for 2 years. Following that, I spent 6 years in a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) Regiment, then moved to 1 Artillery Brigade HQ for 2 years, and spent my final 3 years as a Unit Sergeant Major at a UAV unit. During my military career, I completed tours in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Upon leaving the military, I joined Ocado within 4 months. I have found that the development of leadership skills through my army career has helped me work and lead in a diverse work environment. The military mindset of planning and being flexible when completing tasks has also been a valuable asset. Since being at Ocado, I have learned how to manage and support a diverse group of employees, aided by Ocado policies that are distinctly different from the Kings' Regulations for the Army.

Ocado Logistics is a great place to work. I even had the opportunity to help develop the first Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) site. I am enjoying my second career at Ocado Logistics, thanks to the team I work with and the ability to manage and develop my team with some autonomy.