A raft of new leadership appointments has been announced at baking industry suppliers.
The hires each have several years of experience in the food and drink industry, covering areas including sales, marketing, operations, quality assurance and food safety.
Find more details below on the individuals and their new employers:
Central Foods
Northamptonshire-based frozen food distributor Central Foods has strengthened its team with two new appointments – Lee Romney as sales manager and Ranga Nasho as marketing manager.
Romney has worked in sales for 35 years, the last 18 of which being in the food sector. He joins from an almost four-year stint at luxury cake supplier Fiona Cairns in Leicester, having previously worked for over five years at Margate-based Speciality Breads.
“In my new role with Central Foods, I am looking forward to working closely with the whole team to help grow and develop the business across the country with existing and new customers,” commented Romney. “Central Foods has a great portfolio of products and it’s an exciting time to join a growing business.”
Nasho, meanwhile, is a marketing graduate and a chartered public relations practitioner who brings a wealth of experience in designing effective communication strategies. His past marketing roles include with equipment supplier Reiser UK, automation tech manufacturer SMC Corporation UK, and Luton Town FC. He will now be responsible for marketing activities such as digital marketing and advertising at Central Foods.
“I am really pleased to be joining Central Foods as marketing manager at a time when the company continues to grow,” said Nasho. “As a self-proclaimed foodie and with experience of the food manufacturing industry, my new role at Central Foods is the perfect fit for me.”
Cybake
Ali Lyons has been named the new managing director of bakery management software provider Cybake. She replaces Jane Tyler, who founded the York-based firm in 1998 and remains as a director and majority shareholder.
Lyons was previously appointed as retail partnerships director of Cybake and will continue working with some of the company’s largest clients. Prior to joining last summer, she headed up the food-to-go and café divisions at both M&S and Morrisons, spending over 16 years and four years at the retailers, respectively.
“I am incredibly happy to be taking over from a leader whose values and vision are so aligned with my own,” commented Lyons. “Jane led Cybake to its current market-leading position of rapid growth, so it’s a dream partnership.
“I have spent a career thinking about customers and truly understand the power of using digital operating tools in food-making places. It is great to be helping Cybake’s customers in the baking, food retail and food service sectors around the world to grow their profits with our solutions,” she added.
European Process Plant (EPP)
Bakery equipment supplier EPP announced Dan Hampson as its new after sales manager, a customer-centric role supporting all after sales and service aspects of the Epsom-based business.
Hampson will also be tasked with enhancing operations in developing and personalising relationships with EPP customers as well as streamlining processes and implementing innovative solutions. He boasts more than seven years of experience in the service side of the packaging equipment industry before switching to the bakery industry for the past 18 months.
“I pride myself on building customers’ confidence and am keen to aid business growth, which will allow us to further expand our talented team,” said Hampson, adding “I am committed to reliability and honesty, allowing us to form deeper relationships built on trust.”
Pladis
The manufacturer behind brands McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s and more has hired David Jones as its vice president for quality and food safety on an interim basis. He most recently served as technical director of Innocent Drinks, following various roles spanning quality, safety and regulatory affairs at the likes of Britvic, McCormick, Molson Coors, and Diageo.
Jones also remains as managing director of consultancy firm RQM Associates, a position he has held since 2009. In his post on LinkedIn, Jones said he was really excited about the opportunity to work with such a great company and with so many iconic brands around the globe. “I already know some great people at Pladis from prior roles and I am really looking forward to working with many more,” he added.
The news comes around two months after Pladis revealed its latest management shakeup including Mete Buyurgan as its new MD for UK & Ireland, with David Murray moving to global chief commercial officer. These came in the aftermath of global CEO Salman Amin stepping down for personal reasons – Sridhar Ramamurthy and Tim Brett have assumed temporary oversight of the company while it hunts for a successor.
The Compleat Food Group
Brian Byrne has been internally promoted to the newly created role of chief operating officer at The Compleat Food Group, effective 1 May. Designed to support the manufacturer’s ambitious growth strategy, he is to take overall accountability for the end-to-end supply chain, including planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery.
Byrne first joined Compleat as chief procurement officer in 2023, where he was said to have played a pivotal role in transforming the group’s procurement function. With a career spanning over two decades in supply chain leadership and buying roles – including with Fox’s Burton’s Companies, Iceland, and Hilton Food Group – he brings extensive experience and a proven track record in driving operational excellence, said Compleat.
“We have an incredible team and a strong foundation to build upon. I’m excited to work across our supply chain and operational teams to ensure we deliver great food, even more efficiently, to our customers and consumers,” commented Byrne.
In March, Compleat added The Real Yorkshire Pudding Co to its portfolio of brands, which includes Pork Farms, Wall’s Pastry, and Wrights among others. It employs around 5,000 people across 16 sites in the UK, but recently announced cuts to workforces at its factories in Crewe and Nottingham.
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