United Kingdom
International CEO, Non-Executive Board member and a senior food industry leader. More than 30 years’ experience shaping some of the UK’s most recognised retail and food manufacturing businesses, including Hilton Food Group, the Co-op, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Tulip (now acquired by Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation). A career defined by leading complex organisations through change, building resilient supply chains, and creating long-term, purpose-led growth. • FTSE 250 Chief Executive Officer • Non-Executive Director • Collaborative Board and Executive Committee member • Track record in turn around and transformation • Appointed CBE for services to the food supply chain
Warburton’s is the largest bakery brand in the UK. It is family-run and is a provider of bakery products to leading retailers in the UK, Australia and the Middle East.
Noble Foods is the largest egg producer in the UK. Family and female-owned, the company is known for its fully integrated operations, from a network of over 200 farmers, to its six feed mills, along with pullet rearing sites and poultry processing centre. More recently, the business has moved into the value-added convenience sector.
Hilton Foods is an international protein business, listed on the FTSE 250 Stock Exchange providing retail packing and logistic services to many of the world’s best retailers across 12 countries. Responsibilities • Rebuild confidence with investors following two profit warnings in 2022. • Oversee the strengthening of the balance sheet. • Develop stronger relationships with all key partners (Tesco, Ahold Delhaize, Costco, Woolworths, Ika, Zabka). • Support the appointment of a new Chair and strengthen the Board’s capability with new NED’s. • Grow the global footprint to support a strong investment case. Key Achievements • Fixed initial profits warning, moving the share price from £5.00 to £9.00 in the first 2 years. Strengthened the balance sheet with a greater focus on cash and working capital. Leverage reduced from 1.6x to 1.0x whilst pushing returns above 20%. • Board signed off a new 5-year strategic plan at the end of 2025, to simplify the business and be fit for the future. • Landed a 10-year partnership with Walmart to serve its Canadian stores with protein products and logistic services. • Moved into Saudi Arabia - partnering with Nadec through a long-term contract • Put in place a new organisation structure that put the best leaders in roles they could exceed in and recruited new talent to raise overall capability. • Created a new revenue stream by monetising a standalone logistics and tech business, attracted a majority partner to pump prime its growth and release cash for Hilton. • Started the work to right size the business for the future, disposing of the hospitality business for an 8x multiple which was an accretive deal for shareholders
Co-op is the UK’s largest mutual organisation, democratically controlled by more than 4.5 million members. It is a family of businesses that encompasses: food retail, funeral care, legal services, insurance and ventures, operating a total of 3,611 outlets across the UK with a turnover of £9.5 billion in 2021. Key Achievements • Rebranded the organisation and regained trust with customers after the crisis of 2015. • Developed a one Co-op Leadership culture through a new compelling vision and an inclusion manifesto that moved the business from being nonracist to anti racist and ensured that 50% of our Top 100 roles were filled by women. • Through the acquisition of Nisa, moved into Food Wholesaling, bringing buying scale with an additional 500 convenience stores to serve. • Developed a new channel in franchising getting to 100 stores by 2022 and achieved 500 by 2025. • Reset the membership offer – introducing 1,000 pioneers on the ground to complement our digital platform called “Co-operate”, supporting local causes with £100 million pounds of investment from 2016 – 2021 and grew active membership numbers from 3.8 million to 4.5 million. • Drove campaigning agenda on colleague safety, social mobility, climate and inclusion. Actively influenced government on their Apprenticeship levy scheme and chaired BRC Climate Roadmap for all UK retail businesses. • Following the pandemic, moved fast to create a convenient food home delivery model that is now profitable. This was achieved through rapid development of the co-op platform and joining with multiple partners such as Deliveroo, Amazon and Just Eat. Within 2 years sales had grown by £200 million. • Launched ‘Future of Food’ setting out the Co-op’s ethical and sustainable priorities through to 2030 encompassing climate strategy, ethical sourcing and commitment to Fairtrade.
Co-op Retail division encompasses the £7 billion turnover food retail arm of the business with 2,560 stores across the UK, employing 60,000 colleagues. Key Achievements • Right sized the business, disposing of the long tail of unprofitable shops. • Rebranded, refitted and opened 100 new stores a year to reflect the latest format and giving the customers the best convenience shopping experience. • Took responsibility for the sale of the Co-op Pharmacy business, achieving a 9.5x multiple at £620 million. • In 2019 awarded Retailer of the Year at the Grocer Awards.
During this period Tulip was owned by the Danish Crown Group, the largest producer of pork in Europe and the biggest exporter of pork in the world. Tulip Ltd had 24 sites across the UK and employed over 9,000 staff. Key Achievements • Ran the standalone P&L of £1.2 billion and overall responsibility for developing capability and culture. • Implemented the three-year strategic plan and put in place a new Operational Board, building new culture and communication. • Invested in and grew Tulip’s brands, step changing their engagement with retailer customers. • Doubled the business profits.