Directorate Change - Group Chief Executive Officer
5th April 2023
Hilton Food Group plc ("Hilton Foods" or "Group")
Directorate Change - Group Chief Executive Officer
Hilton Food Group plc is pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Murrells CBE as Group Chief Executive Officer. Steve will assume this role from 3 July 2023, and will join the Group Board at the same time.
Steve will succeed Philip Heffer, who has decided to stand down from the Board and step back from running the company after almost 30 years with Hilton Foods, including the past five years as Group CEO. Philip will support Steve as he assumes the CEO position and will ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities. Philip will remain with the business as Co-Founder and Advisor to the Hilton Foods Board.
Steve's connection to the business dates back almost 30 years, when he was one of Hilton Foods' first customers and commercial partners at Tesco. After serving as CEO of Tulip Ltd from 2009 to 2012, Steve was appointed as CEO of Co-op Food, where he oversaw a turnaround in performance and repositioned the business as a leading convenience player. This was followed by five years as Group CEO of Co-op Group, leading the business through the COVID-19 pandemic, repositioning the Group's Insurance and Probate businesses, and growing its online capabilities. Steve was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to the food supply chain.
Robert Watson OBE, Chairman, commented:
"Following Philip Heffer's decision to stand down, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Murrells as Group CEO. Steve has an outstanding record as a leader within the food industry, and the Board is confident that his considerable experience will be of huge benefit to Hilton Foods as we take the business to the next stage. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Philip for everything he has contributed to Hilton Foods. He has been instrumental to the growth of the business we founded together in 1994 and I am extremely pleased that we will continue to benefit from his experience and expertise in his new advisory role."
Philip Heffer, outgoing Group Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"After the work we've done to grow Hilton Foods and expand our commercial model over the past five years, this is a good moment to step back from running the business. Hilton Foods today is a major international business, with sales and operations across Europe, Asia and the Pacific, offering a broad range of quality products, from meat and seafood to vegan and vegetarian products. Steve was one of our first customers in the 1990s and he has an excellent track record within the food industry. Although I am stepping down from the Board, I'm proud to remain a significant shareholder and I look forward to supporting the continued growth of the business in my new role."
Steve Murrells CBE, incoming CEO, commented:
"Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, I was the Meat Category Director at Tesco when Hilton was pioneering centrally packed meat, and the way that Philip and the team have grown the business since then has been incredible, with fifteen years of sensational growth. I've loved getting to know the business again recently, and what is exciting is that there is so much still to achieve. While Philip is stepping down, he's not stepping out of the business, and we will really benefit from his support with customer relationships and business development in his new role. I'm looking forward to working with Robert, Philip and the wider team as we take Hilton Foods to the next level and become the international food and supply chain partner of choice."
No further information is required to be disclosed under Listing Rule 9.6.13. Steve also currently acts as an advisor to Noble Foods Ltd.
Enquiries
Hilton Food Group Tel: +44 (0) 1480 387214
Robert Watson OBE, Chairman
Headland Consultancy Tel: +44 (0) 20 7638 9571
Edward Young
Will Smith
Joanna Clark
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