Milk Link appoints two and splits into two units
Carl Ravenhall and Shelagh Hancock have been named to senior executive positions at UK dairy Milk Link, and a new structure has been announced.
Thefirm has introduced a new business structure to support its growth and development together with a further enhancement of its senior management team.
As of September, Milk Link will move to a new business structure based upon the creation of two core business units ‘Milk Link – Cheese’ and ‘Milk Link – Milk’, whilst retaining the key cross-group functions of finance, supply chain/capital projects, human resources and corporate affairs. This will enable Milk Link to put greater focus on growing its core businesses and at the same time move forward with the next stage of its corporate development strategy, the company says.
To complement the new business structure the following senior level appointments have been made: Carl Ravenhall, formerly managing director of Adams Foods, will join the business on 1 September as managing director of Milk Link – Cheese. Additionally, Shelagh Hancock, formerly Milk Link Milk, trading & membership director has now taken up the new role of business unit director – milk.
The cheese business unit will focus on reinforcing Milk Link’s leadership position in the supply of British cheese and butter to major retailers and food service operators. It will incorporate the businesses major Cheddar creameries, state of the art Oswestry cheese packing facility, and growing speciality cheese and export business.
The milk business unit will have responsibility for Membership, milk supply, trading, ingredients and Milk Link’s Beverages business centred upon the production of long life and flavoured milks at its Crediton Dairy.
Commenting on the new business structure Neil Kennedy says, “Over the past few months we have been working to establish the remit of each of the business units and put in place the optimum management structures and teams accordingly. Both business units will have their own dedicated sales & marketing and operational teams whilst drawing on the skills and resources embedded in the key cross group functions. This we believe will deliver greater commercial and operational focus on our core revenue generating areas and in turn drive a higher level of performance.”
Milk Link has also announced that Terry Ward (commercial director) will be stepping down from his role to pursue a new business venture called Brandwidth Sales, his own training consultancy. Hamish Renton (marketing director) is also stepping down to found Jack Renton, a marketing agency focused on Retail & FMCG.
