Senior appointments at Krispy Kreme UK, Distil and Diageo

By Michelle Perrett

- Last updated on GMT

Krispy Kreme UK has appointed Jamie Dunning
Krispy Kreme UK has appointed Jamie Dunning

Related tags Business

There has been a Raft of senior appointments made at Krispy Kreme UK, Distil and Diageo.

Krispy Kreme UK has appointed Jamie Dunning as its new president and managing director for the UK and Ireland. 

Dunning will take over from Richard Cheshire, who recently took the decision to step down from his role as Krispy Kreme’s UK & Ireland CEO after nearly 20 years of working in leadership roles at the company. 

Dunning is the former managing director and president at Mars Retail Group, where he oversaw a transformation in the business and its associated brands, coming in at turnaround phase, and taking it to a phase of transformative accelerated growth. He has also been sales director at Cadbury Schweppes. 

Dunning said: “I could not be more pleased to be joining the team at Krispy Kreme. I love everything about the company, from its strongly held values and its ambitious plans for the UK, to its delicious products.”

He added: “I will focus on continuing Krispy Kreme’s signature Hub and Spoke model through expansions into online delivery, drive-throughs and bricks and mortar stores, but also cementing the relationship the company has with consumers as one of the countries’ most-loved sweet treat brands that sparks joy and enhances shared moments”.​ 

Josh Charlesworth, global president & chief operating officer, Krispy Kreme said: “We are delighted to have been able to appoint Jamie to head up Krispy Kreme in the UK & Ireland. The work that his predecessor, Richard Cheshire, did to build the brand’s presence and reputation in the region was nothing short of extraordinary, and we wish to thank him for his two decades of service,”​ said 

“In Jamie we have a worthy new UK head, and I am excited to see the fresh perspective and wealth of knowledge that he will provide us with as we enter this thrilling new phase of our presence in one of our most valued markets.”

Krispy Kreme now operates 133 shops in the UK and Ireland and has a presence in over 1,500 other points of access thanks to partnerships with the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons.

Distil

Distil, owner of premium drinks brands RedLeg Spiced Rum and Blackwoods Gin and Vodka, has appointed Alex Baker, to the newly created role of commercial director. 

Baker began his sales career at Nestle Purina, moving to the drinks industry at William Grant & Sons, where he led the commercial delivery of key retail partners including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons & Waitrose. 

He recently held the position of Business Unit Controller, Grocery, eCommerce, Convenience and Discounters at Hi-Spirits, where he was responsible for leading a team and delivering off-trade performance across a broad portfolio, including Distil brands.

He will play a pivotal role in delivering Distil’s growth ambitions as it remodels its business. He will be responsible for directly managing major UK off-trade customers, as well as leading the continued drive to expand and open new export markets. 

Don Goulding, executive chairman Distil, said: “We are excited to welcome Alex Baker to the team in the newly created role of Commercial Director, directly responsible for all sales across domestic and international markets. 

"His wide experience within the premium spirits market and close knowledge of our brands and customers is invaluable to help drive our business forward and deliver strong results to support our growth ambitions."

Diageo

Drinks company Diageo has announced the appointment of Debra Crew as chief operating officer, and Claudia Schubert as president, North America. 

Crew, who is currently president, North America and Global Supply, will take on the new role on 1 October where she will be accountable for driving continued performance momentum across Diageo’s markets, brands and supply operations globally. 

Crew is also the former president and ceo of Reynolds American, Inc., having previously served as president and chief operating officer, and president and chief commercial officer. Prior to that, she has senior roles at PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, Nestlé S.A., and Mars, Inc.

Meanwhile, Claudia Schubert is to take on the role of president, North America, and will join the Diageo Executive Committee. 

Ivan Menezes, chief executive, said: “Diageo has a world class executive team with significant strength and depth of experience. Debra and Claudia have proven track records as outstanding leaders inside and outside our company. Their appointments will ensure that we continue to adapt to the changing environment so that we can deliver our performance ambition while making a positive impact wherever we work, source and sell.” 

 

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