Milk Link appoints Carl Ravenhall and Shelagh Hancock to senior executive positions as new business structure is introduced
Milk Link, has announced the introduction of a new business structure to support its growth and development together with a further enhancement of its senior management team. From September, Milk Link will move to a new business structure based upon the creation of two core business units Milk Link Cheese and Milk Link Milk, whilst retaining the key cross-Group functions of Finance, Supply Chain/Capital Projects, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs. This will enable Milk Link to put greater focus on growing its core businesses and at the same time move forward with the next stage of its corporate development strategy.
To complement the new business structure the following senior level appointments have been made:
– Carl Ravenhall, formerly Managing Director of Adams Foods, will join the business on 1st September as Managing Director of Milk Link Cheese.
– Shelagh Hancock, formerly Milk Link Milk, Trading & Membership Director has now taken up the new role of Business Unit Director Milk.
Milk Link Cheese
The Cheese business unit will focus on reinforcing Milk Links leadership position in the supply of British cheese and butter to major retailers and food service operators. It will incorporate the businesses major Cheddar creameries, state of the art Oswestry cheese packing facility, and growing speciality cheese and export business.
Milk Link Milk
The Milk business unit will have responsibility for Membership, milk supply, trading, ingredients and Milk Links Beverages business centred upon the production of long life and flavoured milks at its Crediton Dairy.
Commenting on the new business structure Neil Kennedy said. Over the past few months we have been working to establish the remit of each of the business units and put in place the optimum management structures and teams accordingly. Both business units will have their own dedicated sales & marketing and operational teams whilst drawing on the skills and resources embedded in the key cross group functions. This we believe will deliver greater commercial and operational focus on our core revenue generating areas and in turn drive a higher level of performance.
Milk Link has also announced that Terry Ward (Commercial Director) will be stepping down from his role to pursue a new business venture called Brandwidth Sales Ltd, his own Business and Training consultancy. Hamish Renton (Marketing Director) is also stepping down to found Jack Renton Ltd, a marketing agency focused on Retail & FMCG.
Commenting further Neil Kennedy said Terry and Hamish have played an important role in the development of Milk Link and Id like to thank them for all their hard work for the business and wish them every success in their new business ventures. Both will be on hand to help with the smooth transfer to the new business structure and going forward, I am pleased to say that we will continue to benefit from their support and advice as consultants and agencies to us.
Carl Ravenhall
Carl Ravenhall, 42, has extensive experience in the dairy industry having held over the last 15 years a number of senior management positions with the Irish Dairy Board. Most recently Carl was Managing Director of Adams Foods Limited the British operation of the Irish Dairy Board.
Shelagh Hancock
Shelagh Hancock joined Milk Link from Glanbia plc in 2004 following its acquisition of The Cheese Company and as Trading Director managed the sales & marketing for the Ingredients Division. In 2008 Shelagh was appointed as Milk, Trading and Membership Director with responsibility for milk purchasing and commodity sales. Having trained and begun her career in the field of animal nutrition Shelagh has over 20 years experience in agricultural supply and food businesses holding a range of positions across technical, marketing and commercial functions.
Milk Link
- Milk Link is one of the UKs leading added value dairy processors, 100% owned by British dairy farmers.
- Milk Link exists to provide long term security for its dairy farmer Members.
- Milk Link is the largest cheese producer in the UK supplying award winning Cheddar, Stilton and British regional cheeses to major customers within the retail, food service and ingredients sectors. In addition to cheese, it also manufactures a complete portfolio of dairy products including long life milk, extended shelf life products, flavoured milks, butter and milk powders.
- It employs over 1,300 people at eight cheese and dairy processing facilities: Cornish Country Larder Creamery, Trevarrian, North Cornwall; Taw Valley Creamery in Devon; Tuxford & Tebbutt Creamery in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire; Reeces Creamery in Malpas, Cheshire; Llandyrnog Creamery in North Wales; Lockerbie Creamery in Dumfriesshire, Scotland; and Crediton Dairy in Devon, plus a large, modern cheese cutting & packing facility located in Oswestry, Shropshire.
- Milk Link has a number of leading dairy brands including Tickler Extra Mature Cheddar, I Cant Believe Its Not Cheddar, Cadog Cheddar, Lockerbie Cheddar & Butter and Moo Milk.