Former Milk Link executive Shelagh Hancock has been appointed MD of dairy processor Medina Dairy.
Hancock’s appointment is the latest move by Medina to strengthen its senior management team, following the appointment of Andy Cook as FD in September last year.
Shelagh would be responsible for driving forward the performance of the business through the implementation of a “highly focused business development programme,” said Medina CEO Sheazad Hussain.
“Now with the appointment of Shelagh Hancock we have a highly experienced and results driven team that has the proven capability to implement our strategic vision and leverage the business’s undoubted potential,” he added.
It followed a “very difficult period for many dairy businesses” during which Medina had focused on reinforcing its financial and operational base, identifying production and distribution efficiencies and developing relationships with customers and suppliers, Hussain added.
As a result, Hussain forecast that the company’s 2012/2013 annual report and accounts - to be published in March - would indicate that “we have made progress in starting to improve our financial and operational performance and most importantly, I believe, put in place the foundations for our future growth and development”.
Hancock will report directly into Hussain, who previously held the roles of CEO and MD.
She was previously Milk Link’s milk business unit director and sat on the co-operative’s senior executive board.
Prior to joining Milk Link, Hancock held senior management positions across marketing, purchasing, operations and sales at Irish dairy giant Glanbia.
Medina was well placed to grow and develop and had great potential to become the leading supplier of dairy and bakery products to the fast-growing convenience retail and foodservice sectors, said Hancock.
As the dairy industry continued to restructure and consolidate, it would “create opportunities for medium sized businesses such as Medina and we can use our inherent flexibility, adaptability and closer, more personal, customer relationships to provide the higher levels of service required by the convenience and foodservice sectors”, she said.
Medina has two processing sites - in Hampshire and Huddersfield - producing fresh milk and cream under its Watsons brand as well as 15 distribution depots throughout England and Wales which supply dairy and bakery goods into convenience and foodservice.
The company handles over 200 million litres of milk a year.
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