A trio of new MDs, a marketing director, chief supply chain officer, and strategic advisor are the latest appointments made by bakery businesses.
These leadership hires covering retail wholesale, and ingredients supply sectors are designed to support growth and maintain market presence.
Check out our round-up of the new movers in the UK baking industry as follows:
Edouard Gestat, Baking with Lesaffre
Edouard Gestat has been appointed marketing director of Baking with Lesaffre, the department that supports the Group’s baking activity, in charge of providing innovative solutions in the field of baking.
He replaces Thomas Lesaffre who has become general manager at Fermentis, Lesaffre’s business unit dedicated to fermented beverages.
In his latest role, Gestat will be responsible for consolidating Lessafre’s position as a trusted partner for industrial and artisanal bakers, offering solutions adapted to today’s needs and tomorrow’s trends. The company has a network of more than 50 ‘Baking Center’ sites worldwide.
Gestat has spent 24 years in technical development, sales, marketing, and general management of food ingredients, including 13 years with Kerry prior to joining Lesaffre in 2011 as CEO of Biospringer EMEA. In 2016, he became CEO of Biospringer North America based in Milwaukee, and in 2022 was appointed global marketing director, in charge of baking yeast, baking ingredients, and sourdough.
Henry Franklin, Flapjackery
Devon-based bakery brand Flapjackery has named Henry Franklin as its new managing director, with co-founder Carol Myott moving into the role of chair.
Franklin joined the business in February 2025 as commercial director having held senior roles across sales and marketing at firms including ice cream manufacturer Northern Bloc, smoothie and shake supplier Projuice, and sweet bakery specialist Mademoiselle Desserts.
He will oversee the continued growth of the business, while maintaining product quality, shop standards and customer experience across Flapjackery’s 17 shops, with a focus on team structure and performance. Founded in 2015 by Myott and Sally Jenkin, the company is known for its chunky, gluten-free flapjacks.
“With costs continuing to rise, the priority is straightforward: grow sales while keeping a close handle on costs,” said Franklin. “We opened five shops last year, so the focus now is on making those sites perform as well as possible, while also developing other channels including online and wholesale.”
Ryan Peters, Panificio Italiano
Ryan Peters is the new managing director at Panificio Italiano, the wholesale bread supplier specialising in Italian-style goods based in Iver, Buckinghamshire. He takes over the leadership position vacated by Adam Thompson last year, who has since become the new head of bakery operations at Midlands chain Birds Bakery.
Peters has over 30 years’ experience in food manufacturing, primarily within the bakery sector including almost nine years with Brioche Pasquier, most recently as its MD, along with past manager positions at Lantmännen Unibake and Rathbones Bakeries.
He told British Baker that the reason behind his appointment was to raise the standards at Panificio Italiano and take it to the next level, enhancing and improving what it currently does and establishing it as a number one choice in the foodservice/food-to-go arena including via new and unique products.
Panificio Italiano’s £20m site was opened in 2016 by UK baking industry legend Piero Scacco (see above), who founded his first business in Tooting Bec in 1964. Peters noted that the Iver site has huge potential but needs clear direction and strong leadership to enable and ensure the growth. “We have already started implementing a growth strategy and identified several key areas of investment to help take us forward,” he added.
Stefan Porter, Pret A Manger
Helping drive global growth ambitions at Pret is Stefan Porter, who has assumed the newly created role of chief supply chain officer.
He joins the high street chain from Azzurri Group (owner of ASK Italian, Zizzi, Coco di Mama, and Dave’s Hot Chicken) where he served as group commercial director, leading strategy across purchasing and supply chain, retail, ESG, energy procurement, quality, safety and technical. Prior to this, he spent eight years at Lidl GB, latterly as senior buying director.
At Pret, Porter will have responsibility for supply chain, logistics, buying, technical and sustainability functions. “I’ve long been a customer and fan of Pret’s freshly made food and coffee and I look forward to bringing my skills, passion and experience to the business at this period of growth,” he said.
Mark Hodge, Soreen
Samworth Brothers-owned snacking brand Soreen has hired Mark Hodge as its new managing director as it looks to accelerate growth in 2026 and beyond.
Hodge brings two decades of experience from McCain Foods GB, where he served as vice president of marketing for over 12 years. There, he developed and delivered award-winning campaigns and long-term brand-building activity, with a focus on creating lasting emotional connections between the brand and its consumers.
In his new role, he will focus on building Soreen’s rich legacy and leveraging its inherent nutritional credentials to tap into the evolving health and wellness agenda and meet growing consumer demand for healthier options. He said the brand has “so much untapped potential”, noting he was looking forward to making it “even more iconic, ensuring its success for future generations by exploring new spaces to take the brand within and beyond grocery”.
Hodge succeeds outgoing MD Beth Brown, who rejoined in 2024 after previous leading Soreen from 2014 to 2021. During her time, she was instrumental in returning the brand to growth and establishing a revitalised culture, strategy and innovation pipeline – it is now worth £58m [NIQ data for 52w/e 14 February 2026]. Brown remains with Samworth Brothers, transitioning to group strategy director and covering the wide portfolio of brands and categories under the £2bn parent company.
Judith Batchelar, The Compleat Food Group
Judith Batchelar OBE has been appointed as strategic advisor to the board at food manufacturer The Compleat Food Group, strengthening its leadership team to support its continued ambitious growth journey.
Batchelar is widely recognised in the industry, having been brand director at Sainsbury’s for 17 years and holding senior positions at Safeway and Marks & Spencer. She is a biochemist and nutritionist by training, now serving as a trustee, advisor and non-executive director in several high-profile consultancy roles. She was awarded the OBE in 2015 for her services to the farming and food industry.
As strategic advisor, Batchelar will work closely with Compleat’s board across technical, health and safety, sustainability, product, innovation and brand disciplines. She’ll provide strategic guidance and mentorship, helping to further enhance the company’s position as industry and category leaders, ultimately supporting its commitment to creating great tasting food.
“Watching The Compleat Food Group’s impressive progress over the past five years has been truly inspiring, and the prospect of contributing to their ongoing achievements was an opportunity that I simply couldn’t resist,” commented Batchelar.
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