- Philip Jones has joined Riverside Food Services as cold store manager at its recently acquired facility in Four Crosses, Powys. Jones brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Riverside's growing team. He was previously stock control manager for Pentons Haulage and before that, distribution and warehouse supervisor at Brake Bros.*
- Food and drink businesses in Scotland have a new skills champion in Ian Land, who is now an employer engagement manager for Improve, the food and drink sector skills council. Joining on a two-year secondment from The Seafish Industry Authority, Land will help meet employers' needs for recruitment and training support, with a focus on the Highlands and Islands region.
- Richmond Foods has two new board directors. Ibrahim Najafi, currently operations director, joins the board as chief operating officer while Brian Buchan is made a non-executive director. In his role as Richmond's operations director for the past five years, Najafi has successfully integrated five acquisitions and has been responsible for implementing its investment programme. Buchan is an ex-chief executive of SSL International.
- Chris Hudson has joined Dawnfresh Seafoods as a senior business manager responsible for a number of key accounts for the company including Tesco, Sainsbury, Delhaize and Whitbread. Previously, Hudson has held a number of senior sales positions with Grampian Country Food Group and Golden Wonder.
- Carole Hargreaves has been appointed head of new product development company LinTech following the retirement of founder and former director Mike Lindley. Lindley retains a consultancy role in many ongoing projects of LinTech which became part of Reading Scientific Services five years ago. Hargreaves has been with the company since 1993.
- IGD chief executive Joanne Denney-Finch has been named the new chair of the Food Chain Centre. She will replace Dame Deirdre Hutton who is stepping down to be come chair of the Food Standards Agency.
- Vikki Nicholls has joined butter producer Markus Products as sales supervisor and will be working alongside the team to increase wholesale business and support customer services.
Carol Ho has joined Anthony Alan Foods, the company behind the Weight Watchers cakes and savouries range, as new product development (NPD) project manager.
The company has seen sales continue to rise in recent months and is looking to expand its product range in both the Weight Watchers brand and other areas.
Ho was previously with Speedibake for over five years and prior to that with Manor Bakeries for two years. "We are delighted that Carol is joining us," says md Tony Moloney. "Her experience of NPD in the bakery sector will be very valuable to us, and she is keen to apply her expertise as project manager."
Made any new appointments? Then e-mail sarah.britton@william-reed.co.uk with details