Fiona Dawson, president, Mars Chocolate UK and IGD

Fiona Dawson’s role at the helm of Mars Chocolate UK has been the culmination of decades of commitment to the brand.

Dawson joined the Mars graduate scheme straight from Trinity College, Dublin in 1988. Apart from two years spent with Pepsi in the early 1990s, she has remained with the company in various roles across the European business ever since, including general manager of the Irish business, UK sales director, European marketing vice president, md and now president.

During her time as president, she oversaw the opening of Mars’ new £6M research and development facility​ in Slough, which also received a royal visit from Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

Earlier this year, she claimed that manufacturing was “cool again”​​, and had become a popular career choice for young people.

In January she was appointed as president of grocery think-tank IGD​ and chairs IGD’s Policy Issues Council (PIC) in that role.