Nestlé appointed Richard Watson as the new Chief Executive Officer for the UK and Ireland. The current CEO Stefano Agostini will become responsible for the confectionary sector for the Nestlé Europe Zone, starting from 1 March 2023, the date on which the changing of the guard will take place. Watson has been working for the company for 27 years and is the current managing director of Nestlé Confectionery in the UK & Ireland: he spent the last six years leading the Confectionery division of Nestlé UK & Ireland, where he built a team that drove growth, increasing market share and introducing a number of innovations significant in the category.

"I am honored and excited to take on such an important role at such an important time - Watson pointed out -. The UK and Ireland mean a lot to Nestlé and they mean a lot to me. I first joined Nestlé Purina in the UK in 1996 and I have been fortunate enough to build a career here over the past quarter century".

"This is one of the most important markets for Nestlé - adds the manager -. From experience, I know it is an ideal place to do business, innovate, grow and work with highly talented people. Likewise, I know that Nestlé continues to have play an important role in the UK and Ireland. We are an important part of local communities as manufacturers, employers, exporters and we are lucky to supply many brands that families and pets relied on and enjoyed for generations." .

Agostini joined Nestlé in 1989 and became CEO of Nestlé UK and Ireland in 2017: he set ambitious growth goals and led the company to a turnover of over £3 billion in a period of great global change. “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to lead this great company in the UK and Ireland. I am proud of the many things we achieved as a team, the way we tackled challenges and we moved our business forward. The food industry is a valuable asset to the UK and Ireland and I have been proud to work alongside other producers, retailers and farmers to help raise the voice of our industry and make it more resilient".

"My family made this country their home and I am grateful to the brilliant and welcoming people we lived and worked with. I am enthusiastic about the challenge that awaits me, leading our confectionery sector in Europe", concludes Agostini .