Andy Cooper – Valley GM

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Over the past 40 years, I’ve gained experience in various operations, supply chain, logistics, procurement and manufacturing leadership roles, across a diverse range of sectors.

For me, a visionary and innovative mindset, combined with a coaching, mentoring, and motivational leadership style, help me get the most from the teams I work with. Organisational change, talent development, business transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives are part of my DNA!

What attracted you to work at Ascent?

This role was a chance for me to bring together my diverse skills and experience and begin the journey of getting our Operations team at Valley to be strategically and tactically responsive to the prime goal of UKMFTS – to provide the effective training that our military pilots need to take them to frontline roles.

What does your role at Ascent entail?

As General Manager at Ascent’s Valley site, I have many goals to deliver within UKMFTS. This includes operational management, coaching, leadership, mentoring, customer and key stakeholder management and team and trainee development. Ultimately, my main goal is effective trainee throughput.

Do you have a role model or someone who you respect and try to model yourself on?

My father and Martin Luther King. Just to achieve 0.1% of their essence of humanity would be a success for me.

What do you enjoy most about working at Ascent?

It’s a different industry sector than I have previously worked in and I believe that I can add significant value through the operational excellence journey I want to take my team and the organisation on. I want to stretch and improve our capabilities over the next few years

Why would you recommend working for Ascent?

Anyone joining the Ascent team can expect to find development, growth, challenges and opportunities. You can add value to a growing business, while helping add to your personal development, and that of colleagues and the organisation.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to spend family time with my wife and children, our dog Loki and socialising when I get the opportunity. I spend my chill-out time with my punk heroes the Dead Kennedys and other similar bands. The music vibe is at the core of humanity and live music adds another dimension. Sport wise it’s gym work – mainly weights – and of course Welsh Rugby, and I’m a Man Utd supporter!