FDBusiness.com

Premier Foods has to announce two senior appointments. Colin Day has been appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the company and Alex Whitehouse, UK Managing Director, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board. Both are permanent appointments with immediate effective.

Having been CFO for six years, and acting CEO for the past seven months, Alastair Murray has agreed with the Premier Foods board to leave the business and step down. Duncan Leggett, Group Director of Financial Control and Corporate Development, will become acting Chief Financial Officer pending a permanent appointment.

Alex Whitehouse.

Richard Hodgson, Senior Independent Director at Premier Foods, says: “I am delighted that Colin Day is joining the company as Chairman, a role to which he will bring extensive experience at a pivotal time in the company’s history. We are also very pleased that Alex Whitehouse, who has led the successful turnaround of our UK business, has accepted the role of Group CEO. On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Alastair Murray for his outstanding contribution to the business, both as CFO and more latterly as acting CEO, and wish him all the best for the future.”

Colin Day comments: “I am very much looking forward to joining Premier Foods at this key juncture as we look to deliver value for Premier Foods’ shareholders. It is the intention to further strengthen the Board with the appointment of an additional two independent non-executive directors as soon as possible.”

Alex Whitehouse says: “I’m delighted to become Premier Foods’ CEO and look forward to working with Colin and the board to drive further value from our great portfolio of brands. I’m very encouraged by the improved performance of the business over the last couple of years and see this as something we can build on further.”