Mark Allen (47), currently executive md of Dairy Crest's Dairy Division, will replace Drummond Hall as chief executive of the group when Hall takes early retirement at the end of December 2006. Hall will stay on in a part-time capacity until the end of April 2007.
Hall has been with the Group for 15 years. He joined as anexecutive director in September 1991 and was appointed chief executive in July 2002.
Allen joined Dairy Crest in 1991. Prior to his current role, he ran both the household and cheese businesses, where he played a major part in the growth of Dairy Crest's Cathedral City cheddar brandand the redevelopment of the Davidstow site.