Aryzta names former Glanbia boss as new CEO

Kevin Toland, a former chief executive and president of Glanbia USA & Global Nutritionals, is to replace Owen Killian as CEO of global bakery business Aryzta.

Killian, chief financial officer Patrick McEniff, and Americas CEO John Yamin all resigned their roles earlier this year following a period of trading described as “unexpected and extremely disappointing” by Killian.

Toland is currently chief executive of DAA Plc, which operates Dublin and Cork airports, travel retailer ARI and DAA International. Before joining DAA in 2013 he was chief executive and president of Glanbia USA & Global Nutritionals, a division of Glanbia plc, based in Chicago.

He will join Aryzta following a six-month notice period, or earlier, if agreed by both parties. The appointment follows a search by Aryzta and international recruitment firm Russell Reynolds to “select and recruit a world-class CEO with the necessary blend of skills and expertise to lead Aryzta”.

The Aryzta board said it selected Toland on the basis of his "proven track record, deep global sector expertise, and the specific relevance of his background and experience for Aryzta today”.

During his time as CEO of DAA, passenger numbers at Dublin airport increased from 19 million to 28 million a year. At Glanbia, Toland led the growth of Glanbia USA & Global Nutritionals to become the largest manufacturer and exporter of American-style cheese in the US, said Aryzta, and the number one globally in sports nutrition.

He has held other senior roles at Glanbia including group development director, chief executive of consumer foods, and director of strategy and marketing. Before joining Glanbia, he held management positions with Coca Cola Bottlers in Russia and with Grand Metropolitan in Ireland and Central Europe.

“Kevin has an outstanding track record for delivering strategically, operationally and financially,” said Aryzta chairman Gary McGann. “He is a proven CEO of businesses undergoing significant transformation and brings extensive experience of the food sector.”

Toland said he was delighted to be joining Aryzta: “I have watched Aryzta develop over the years and it has established real-scale and deep competitive advantage in its core categories. I look forward to working with the Aryzta board, management and employees to deliver, in time, the objective of performance and growth.”