The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is to give more emphasis to its work to promote the economic importance of the industry as part of a restructure announced today by President Ross Warburton.
Each year FDF elects a small group of officers from its main decision-making body of CEOs (the Executive Committee) to undertake critical leadership roles within the organisation, including the chairmanship of Steering Groups driving FDF's policies on the key issues affecting the industry.
As part of the changes announced today, FDF's Sustainability and Competitiveness Steering Group will be split into two – recognising the importance of both sets of issues to the industry.
Nick Bunker, VP and Managing Director of Kraft Foods UK and Ireland, will chair FDF's new Competitiveness Steering Group, spearheading the Federation's work to promote the economic importance of food and drink manufacturing.
John Sutcliffe, Chief Executive of the Grocery Division at Associated British Foods, will head up a new Sustainability Steering Group, which, among other things, will be responsible for driving forward FDF's ground-breaking Five-fold Environmental Ambition building on the work of Fiona Dawson, Managing Director of Mars Chocolate UK.
Fiona has agreed to move across to head up FDF's Health and Wellbeing Steering Group, taking over a crucially important area of policy work. She replaces Salman Amin of PepsiCo, who had successfully led the Steering Group since its formation, and who recently returned to the US to take up a new senior role within the company.
Jim Moseley, Managing Director of General Mills UK, continues as chair of FDF's Food Safety and Scientific Steering Group, which oversees all FDF's vitally-important regulatory work. He has also agreed to act as FDF's representative on the Board of CIAA, the European trade association for food and drink manufacturing.
The FDF officer team is completed by Treasurer Paul Freeston, chief executive of apetito, and Jonathan Bye, Managing Director of Vimto, who has joined the Executive Committee as the Vice President representing the interests of FDF's SME members.
FDF President Ross Warburton said:
“I am delighted to have such a strong team of colleagues to support me at the helm of FDF. Our Steering Groups provide the strategic direction for all our work on behalf of members. Our decision to split the Sustainability and Competitiveness Steering Group will allow us boost our work to promote the economic importance of the industry in the run up to the next election – and beyond.
“As the UK's biggest manufacturing sector, we are determined that our voice will be heard right across Whitehall and that our sector will in future be positioned at the heart of all Government's economic thinking.”
