IRELAND – Kerry Foods, the Irish chilled food manufacturer, has promoted Nick Robinson to the role of chief executive from his current position as managing director of consumer brands.

Robinson will transfer into the role over the next two months. The move follows current chief executive Duncan Everett’s decision to take up a new role outside the business in the coming months.

Overall chief executive of Kerry Group Edmond Scanlon congratulated Robinson on his new role within the company.

“He is stepping into this role at a very interesting time as the food industry responds in innovative ways to the changing consumer behaviours resulting from COVID-19. I look forward to working with Nick and his team to further grow our business across the UK and Ireland,” said Scanlon.

After originally joining Kerry Foods in 2017 as chief marketing officer, Robinson was appointed managing director of consumer brands in January 2019.

Prior to Kerry, he held various sales, commercial and marketing roles with Diageo, Coca-Cola and AB InBev, where he was the North Europe marketing director.

“I would also like to thank Duncan for his support and commitment and recognise the significant contribution he has made to Consumer Foods and the wider Kerry business over the past 25 years,” commenting on Everett’s departure, Scanlon added.

Kerry Foods employs 5000 people across its sites in the UK and Ireland. It owns sausage brand Richmond, meat-free range Naked Glory and hot dog brand Rollover.

Other appointments in the food industry

In other appointment news, ex-Morrisons marketing director Mike Hoban is the new chief executive of royally appointed Scottish butcher Donald Russell – a winner at William Reed’s Butcher’s Shop of The Year Awards 2019.

Based near Aberdeen, Donald Russell is a leading online supplier of grass-fed beef and lamb. A part of the privately-owned Vestey group of food businesses, its customers include some of the most prestigious hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in the world.

Prior to his five years at Morrisons, Mr Hoban held broader senior roles with British Airways, Confused.com and Scottish Widows. George Vestey, chief executive of Vestey Holdings, said Mr Hoban joins a strengthened board of directors tasked with maximising opportunities for future growth.

Meanwhile, egg processor Noble Foods has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of commercial director Jerome Saulet.

Saulet joins the Happy Egg producer from Andros UK, a major supplier of ambient fruit conserves and chilled yoghurts and desserts, where he also held the position of commercial director for the past four years.

He started his career in sales and marketing for a number of major fmcg companies, including Rank Hovis McDougall, Unilever and John West Foods, before gaining retail experience in account director roles at Premier Foods, working with the likes of Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Tesco.

Saulet started in the new role at Noble Foods just as the coronavirus crisis hit, forcing him to work from home.

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