Our Senior Team

Robert Schofield
Chief Executive Officer

Joined the Group in 2001 taking responsibility for its branded business. He was appointed Chief Executive in January 2002. Robert Schofield has extensive manufacturing and operational experience gained at United Biscuits plc where he ultimately served as Managing Director of United Biscuits UK, directing both the McVities and KP Foods businesses.

Paul Thomas
Chief Financial Officer

Joined the Group in 2002 as Finance Director. Prior to this he served as Finance Director of Coors Brewers (formerly Bass Brewers). Previously, he was the Director of Planning and Business Development in the retail division of Grand Metropolitan plc. He is a Chartered Accountant.

Tim Kelly
Chief Operating Officer, Hovis Baking & Milling

Tim Kelly was appointed as a Director in June 2008.Tim joined Premier Foods in March 2007 following the Company’s acquisition of RHM, where he was Chief Operating Officer, Cakes & Customer Partnerships. In December 2007 he assumed additional responsibility for the Group’s Baking and Milling businesses. Prior to that Tim was with Constellation Brands where he was the Chief Operating Officer, International. He previously held senior marketing roles at Diageo and Coca-Cola Schweppes Beverages.

David Kappler
Chairman & Nomination Committee Chairman

Joined the Group on flotation in 2004 as Chairman. Mr Kappler was previously Finance Director of Cadbury Schweppes plc. He was also a non-executive director and latterly Chairman of HMV plc until 2006. He is a Chartered Management Accountant and is currently a Senior Independent Director and the Chairman of Audit Committee at both Shire plc and Intercontinental Group plc.

Ian McHoul
Audit Committee Chairman

Joined the Group on flotation in 2004 and until April 2008 was the Group Finance Director of Scottish & Newcastle plc. He was previously the Finance and Strategy Director of the Inntrepreneur Pub Company Limited and prior to that he spent 10 years with Courage Limited and its parent company Fosters Brewing Group in a variety of roles. Mr McHoul is a Chartered Accountant.

David Felwick CBE
Remuneration Committee Chairman & Senior Independent Non Executive Director

Joined the Group on flotation in 2004. Prior to this he was Deputy Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership and Chairman of the British Retail Consortium. He was previously Managing Director of Waitrose and is currently Chairman of Product of the Year Ltd, and Leckford Estate Ltd and is also a non-executive director of Dairy Farmers of Britain.

Louise Makin

Dr Makin joined the Group in October 2006. She is currently Chief Executive Officer of BTG plc, a growing life sciences company focused on the development and commercialization of speciality pharmaceuticals. Prior to that she was President, Biopharmaceuticals Europe of Baxter Healthcare, responsible for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. In 2000 Dr Makin joined Baxter Healthcare as Vice President, Strategy & Business Development Europe. Before joining Baxter, she was Director of Global Ceramics at English China Clay and prior to that she held a variety of roles at ICI between 1985 and 1998. Dr Makin holds an MA in Natural Sciences and a PhD in Metallurgy from the University of Cambridge, and an MBA.

Christine Cross

Christine Cross joined the Group in January 2008. She is an independent advisor in retail management having previously spent fourteen years at Tesco plc in a number of senior management roles including Group Business Development Director. Prior to this she lectured at Edinburgh and Bath Universities. Christine is currently a non-executive director of Next plc and Sobeys Inc (Canada) as well as Retail Advisor to Apax Partners Venture Capital and Private Equity.

David Beever

David Beever joined the Group in January 2008. David is a non-executive director of JJB Sports plc, Volex Group plc and The Paragon Group of Companies plc and until December 2007 was Deputy Chairman of London and Continental Railways. David is a member of the KPMG Advisory Board having spent 10 years as Chairman of KPMG Corporate Finance. He was previously Vice Chairman of SG Warburg & Co Ltd.

Ian York
Group Sales Director

Joined the Group in 1994 as General Sales Manager for the Canned Foods division. He now has responsibility for all UK sales activities throughout the business having been appointed Group Sales Director in 2001. Previously, Mr York held a variety of positions in the UK grocery market with Quaker Oats Ltd., Associated British Foods and Blue Crest.

Brian Carlton
Group HR Director

Brian Carlton joined the business in 1994 as Head of Personnel for the Canned Foods Division. His responsibilities have since been extended to embrace all HR activities across the Group. He was appointed to the Operations Board in October 2006. Prior to joining Premier, Brian held HR and Operational roles in Chrysler UK, K Shoes, Metal Box and Smurfit Packaging. Brian is a graduate in Business studies from Glasgow College of Technology.

Robert Lawson
Commercial Director

Robert joined Premier in January 2005 as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions and Investor Relations and joined the Operations Board in October 2006. Prior to joining Premier Foods Robert was Strategy Director at Kraft Foods Europe and United Biscuits and was a management consultant at Arthur D Little. Robert is now Commercial Director with responsibility for the Meat-free business, in addition to his responsibilities for Integration, Mergers & Acquisitions, Investor Relations and Communications. Robert has a BA from the Oxford University and an MBA from INSTEAD.

Suzanne Wise
General Counsel & Company Secretary

Suzanne joined the Group in January 2008. She has extensive in-house legal experience gained within the listed company environment and joins the Company from Gallaher Group plc where she held the position of Group Head of Legal. Prior to Gallaher, she was solicitor in a private practice. She is a qualified solicitor and was admitted to practice in 1987. She is also a member of the Company’s Operations Board.

Mark Hughes
Procurement Director

Mark Hughes was appointed to the Premier Foods Operations board as Director of Procurement in March 2007 following the company's acquisition of RHM. He joined RHM in 2003 as Divisional Services Director (Bread Bakeries) and became a member of the Bread Bakeries Division Executive in 2004. Mark was previously Director at Archer Daniels Midland Milling (UK) and has held a number of senior positions with ABF plc.

Bob Spooner
Group Operations Director

Joined Premier Foods in April 2007 with responsibility for all manufacturing and logistics activities for the Group. He is also a member of the Group's Operations Board. He was previously Managing Director of Northern Foods’ Pastry Products business and prior to that held senior operational and supply chain roles in ICI Paints, and Sara Lee.