This month sees Scott Coles taking over from Mark Davies as Nestlé Confectionery UK & Ireland managing director.
Davies steps down to retire after a 34-year tenure with the company, having assumed the position of managing director in 2023.
Before becoming MD, Davies was the vice president of Nestlé’s strategic business unit in Switzerland. Davies was also part of the team that designed, built and led the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, the company’s initiative to create shared value in the cocoa supply chain.
In his new role, Coles will join the Nestlé UK & Ireland leadership team, where he will spearhead Nestlé’s efforts to expand market share and enhance value for both consumers and customers within the confectionery sector.
He brings a wealth of experience to this position, having joined Nestlé in 1997. His career has spanned various roles across the UK food and beverage business, including customer management, commercial finance, and category development. He subsequently moved to Australia where he led the Oceania sales team before serving as managing director of nutritious snacks.
Since 2018, Coles has led the coffee business across Central and West Africa (25 countries), he also had responsibility for consumer communications across the region.
Under his leadership, he has consistently driven category growth and developed compelling and locally relevant communication campaigns.
“It’s an honour to lead the UK and Ireland Confectionery business at such an exciting time. With KitKat and Aero celebrating 90 years, I’ll be joining our exceptional confectionery team to celebrate these brilliant brands as they continue to thrive on their milestone anniversaries,” said Coles.
“I’m looking forward to supporting and championing the sustainability work done across the business, including the Income Accelerator Programme which aims to increase cocoa farming families net income and promote good agricultural practices.”
This news follows the release of Nestlé Confectionery’s latest treat – Aero Coconut. This limited-edition bar is part of the Aero Lost Bubbles campaign, with the brand offering a £10k prize for each bubble-less pack found by shoppers on shelves in the UK and Ireland.
