Bulmers cider manufacturer C&C Group plc has announced the appointment of David Forde as its chief executive officer.
Forde is joining C&C from Heineken, with which he has served as managing director of Heineken UK for the past seven years. He will join C&C in early 2021 at the latest, following the completion of a customary notice period.
C&C's board has requested that Stewart Gilliland continue in his role as interim executive chairman until Forde joins C&C, at which time Stewart will revert to the role of non-executive chairman. The board has extended Gilliland's role as non-executive chairman by an additional 12 months until the group's 2022 AGM.
C&C has also announced the appointment of its current strategy director Patrick McMahon as its chief financial officer. McMahon will take on the role following the retirement of current chief financial officer Jonathan Solesbury on September 1.
"Delighted"
Gilliland stated, "The board is delighted to announce David Forde as our new group CEO. Following a thorough evaluation of exceptional candidates for the position, we believe David has the requisite blend of brands, distribution and pub sector expertise to maximise the potential of our iconic brands and optimise the potential of our distribution capabilities.
"In Paddy we have a group CFO with an inimitable understanding and experience of our business. His progression through senior leadership positions within the business and integral role in the transformative Matthew Clark and Bibendum transaction make him the natural successor to Jonathan and ideal fit for this position. The board would like to thank Jonathan for his significant contribution to C&C over the past three years and we wish him well for the future.
"As we navigate the current challenges and uncertainty of COVID-19, these appointments represent an exciting new era for C&C which we believe will deliver long term value for all our stakeholders."
"Extremely Excited"
Meanwhile, Forde commented, "I am extremely excited to be joining C&C, a company with great people, loved brands and a world class distribution infrastructure. I look forward, together with my new colleagues and the board, to further building the business into the future."
© 2020 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
