That was the case for Ash, but it was just as similar for the Ash whom Ross knew.
The fabricated version of Ash would be even more likely to struggle with such a high position, even if she did have the potential to rise higher, especially if she was missing some needed skills that could have been very helpful for what would be required of her.
The fabricated version of Ash was an even worse version of her, who was known to be less educated and had grown up under even worse conditions, so Ross would think of it as something that could contribute to the things that could hold her back even more.
The real Ash or the Azra Dash, before she changed, had attended school and put in a lot of effort to make use of the opportunities that were given to her, thanks to the support of her mother, but Ian was not aware of that.
All that he knew was the story Ash had told about how she had moved from one place to the next as she lived on the streets and other places.
