Tate & Lyle PLC (‘Tate & Lyle’ or ‘the Company’) is pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Hampton as chief executive of Tate & Lyle with effect from April 1, 2018. Nick is currently Chief Financial Officer and a Board member of Tate & Lyle.

Nick Hampton succeeds Javed Ahmed who, having served as chief executive of Tate & Lyle since October 2009, will step down from this role and from the Board, and retire from the Company, with effect from April 1, 2018.

Nick Hampton joined Tate & Lyle as chief financial officer in September 2014 from PepsiCo where he had served as president West Europe and senior vice president Commercial Europe since 2013. Prior to that, during a 20-year career at PepsiCo, he held a number of senior finance and operational roles.

Commenting on the announcement, Gerry Murphy, chairman of Tate & Lyle said: 
“I am delighted to announce Nick Hampton’s appointment as Chief Executive of Tate & Lyle. Nick has been an outstanding Chief Financial Officer with a strong track record of driving performance, building teams and capabilities, and focusing on key customers and markets. We are confident he has the experience, energy and vision to lead Tate & Lyle through the next phase of its development. My fellow Board members and I look forward to working with Nick and our top team in the exciting years ahead.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Javed Ahmed for his exceptional leadership of Tate & Lyle over the last eight years. During his tenure, Tate & Lyle has been through a very significant strategic, operational and organisational transformation from a largely commodity business into the high quality global food ingredients business it is today. Javed has led the Company with great skill, energy and commitment, and he leaves it in a very strong position. The Board and everyone at Tate & Lyle thank Javed for his outstanding service and contribution, and wish him every success and happiness in the years ahead.”

Nick Hampton said: “I am delighted and honoured to be appointed Tate & Lyle’s next chief executive. Tate & Lyle has a strong portfolio of ingredients, outstanding people, and deep technical expertise. As global demand for healthier and tastier food continues to grow, this business has the opportunity to deliver meaningful benefits for our customers, employees, shareholders, and society at large, in the years ahead. I look forward to working with Gerry, the Board, the management team, and all our employees to drive Tate & Lyle’s business forward.

Javed Ahmed said: “It has been my great privilege to lead Tate & Lyle for the last eight years, which have involved a very significant reshaping of the business. Today, Tate & Lyle is a much stronger and higher quality business than it was eight years ago, and with Nick leading the Company along with its strong management team, it is in great hands.

The process to appoint a new chief financial officer of Tate & Lyle is underway, and a further announcement will be made in due course.