Distinguished alumni
Louise Cooke
BSc Management Sciences 1986
CEO, Parmalat, Africa
Louise was recognised for her outstanding loyalty to the fast-moving consumer goods industry with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017.
Louise’s career has focused predominantly on the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. She worked for Cadbury for several years as the Marketing Director and later as a Business Development Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). She spent over three years as Cadbury’s Managing Director for Southern Africa. Louise was appointed CEO of Parmalat in November 2010, one of the biggest dairy processing firms in the country.
Louise has over 20 years’ experience working at senior management level in the FMCG industry. Responsibilities in her role in the dairy industry include the executive management of Parmalat’s operations in other African countries, including Zambia and Swaziland.
Her wide-ranging experiences of working in the FMCG industry across different countries prove her impressive skill set in all functions of business. Louise’s experiences have led to her appointment as the first woman in South Africa’s history to lead a dairy company.
In an official statement, Parmalat S.p.A described her as an “experienced commercial executive leader with a unique combination of strong strategic development skills, cross-functional operational experience and a passion for driving strategy to action through teams."
Louise spent seven years as CEO of Parmalat in South Africa, where the headquarters for the company are also based.
During her time at Loughborough, Louise was an active committee member in Telford hall, volunteering as a Social Secretary.