Chartered accountant Alison Cooper is to take the reins at Imperial Tobacco Group, a move that sees five females at the top of the ranks of the FTSE 100. Cooper, who is currently group chief operating officer of the tobacco manufacturer, will succeed Gareth Davis, who is to step down in May next year following 37 years with the company. A handover period will ensue for the next six months. 'I am looking forward to the challenge of leading Imperial Tobacco and building on our track record of delivering superior shareholder returns,' said 43-year-old Cooper. 'Our focus on effective cost and cash management has underpinned our success and will remain hallmarks of our business, while our enhanced focus on sales and consumers will ensure that we continue to leverage our portfolio and drive growth across our international footprint.' She joined the company in 1999, and has worked in various senior roles. Before Imperial Tobacco she worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she worked closely with the tobacco company on acquisitions. Her appointment as CEO will see her join Angela Ahrendts of Burberry, Cynthia Carroll of Anglo American, Dame Marjorie Scardino of publishing group Pearson, and Katherine Garrett-Cox of Alliance Trust as female chief executives in the FTSE 100 index.