Nestlé UK & Ireland has announced three senior leadership appointments spanning its coffee, manufacturing and foodservice operations.

Katya Simmons has been appointed managing director for coffee at Nestlé UK & Ireland. Simmons joined Nestlé in 2002 in Russia, holding sales and marketing roles before becoming managing director of Nestlé Professional Russia and Eurasia in 2015.

She relocated to the UK in 2017 and has served as managing director of Nestlé Professional UK & Ireland since 2018.

During her tenure, the business delivered market share growth, strengthened customer partnerships and expanded sustainability and skills initiatives, including the long-running Toque d’Or competition and the Choose Hospitality Pledge.

Speaking on her new role, Simmons said: “I am thrilled to be leading the coffee sector in the UK and Ireland. Coffee has an exciting future ahead of it and I am privileged and proud to be part of the team taking it forward. I can’t wait to see what we will achieve and how we’ll drive growth across our incredible brands”

Martin Krohn has been appointed head of technical and production for Nestlé UK & Ireland, with responsibility for coffee, confectionery and food factories, including Mindful Chef and Simply Cook operations.

Krohn joined Nestlé in 2005 and has held a range of manufacturing and industrial performance roles across Germany and Bulgaria. Since 2021, he has led confectionery manufacturing in Europe for the KitKat and wafer cluster, overseeing performance improvements across the portfolio.

Krohn commented: “It’s a pleasure to move into the role of head of technical and production for Nestlé in the UK and Ireland. Safety and quality are paramount to all that we do at Nestlé, and I will continue to put this at the heart of the market.”

Meanwhile, Lorenzo Vigano has been named managing director of Nestlé Professional UK & Ireland. Vigano joined Nestlé Italy in 2012 and has held senior leadership roles across Italy, Europe and Turkey, including head of beverages for Nestlé Professional Europe and managing director of Nestlé Professional Turkey, where he grew the business into one of the company’s top ten global markets.

Vigano stated: “It’s a pleasure and honour to lead Nestlé Professional at such an exciting time. As we enter the new year, I’m energised by the opportunities ahead and committed to supporting our customers across hospitality and foodservice. Together, we’ll continue delivering exceptional products and services, driven by our focus on excellence, sustainability and innovation.”