Alan Harris, chief marketing and customer officer and executive vice president of the US-based Kellogg Company, has said he will retire at the end of January 2007.

Harris has worked for the Kellogg Company for 22 years, having initially joined its Manchester operations in 1984 as a product manager.

Since that time he has held a variety of senior positions at regional, country and international levels. He was appointed to the executive leadership team in 1997 and was also president of

Kellogg International.

Kellogg chairman and chief executive Jim Jenness said: "For more than 20 years, Alan has served our company with distinction in leadership roles across the Kellogg world. He has travelled extensively and helped us to develop our people brands and our businesses."

The company has yet to name Harris's successor.