Bakery ingredients manufacturer Macphie has announced a management restructure, with current chief executive Alastair Macphie moving to the role of executive chairman.

The change means Andrew Underwood, the current sales and marketing director, will become managing director.

The company stressed Macphie will remain “fully involved” in the business, one of the largest family-run food manufacturers in the country, but said the changes would allow him to focus on longer-term objectives.

It also added he would be concentrating on future plant requirements, building closer links with strategic partners, employee engagement and corporate social responsibility. Alastair will also continue to oversee the Glenbervie Estate and Farm, where a new wind farm will be built in 2014.

Macphie, who has been in the role of chief executive for 18 years, said: “The restructure will give a greater focus to both our forward investment plans, as well as the operational challenges we face in today’s competitive global food market. 

“From his previous roles in the food industry in both manufacturing and retail, Andrew has exactly the right mix of skills, experience and drive to ensure the continued development of Macphie and achieve the challenging growth targets set out in our corporate plan.”

Underwood added: “I am delighted to take on this exciting new role and build on the strong reputation Macphie has in the market for quality, innovation and service. Our key challenge will be to balance the continuing uncertainty of raw material availability and costs with driving greater efficiencies in our plant and process capability, while maintaining a continued commitment to being at the forefront of new ingredient technologies and product development.”

Underwood joined the board of Macphie two years ago from Authentic Foods. He has previously worked with Brakes and Coca-Cola.