Food manufacturer Nestlé has appointed Ben Duncan to its senior leadership team as managing director for Food UK and Ireland.

Duncan stepped into his role on Monday 13th April, and will lead the UK and Ireland business, overseeing a portfolio of brands including Maggi and Carnation.

He began his career in market research before joining Nestlé’s pet care business Purina in 2004. Over the past two decades, he has held a range of senior commercial roles in the UK and internationally.

After starting as category manager in the UK, Duncan moved to the Netherlands in 2011 to lead sales and marketing for Purina’s specialist channel business.

He returned to the UK in 2015 to take on a senior role leading Purina’s specialist and ecommerce business, before assuming responsibility in 2020 for strategic revenue management, category management and shopper marketing across Purina teams in Northern Europe. Duncan served as head of marketing for Purina’s marketing region from January 2024.

Speaking about his appointment, Duncan commented: “I’m really pleased to be stepping into the role of managing director and joining the brilliant team in our food business.

“Our trusted brands play a key role in everyday meals for families across the UK and Ireland, and I’m excited to build on that trust and put consumers at the centre of everything we do.”