Ferrero UK & Ireland has announced the appointment of Craig Barker as its new regional managing director, succeeding Philippe Steyaert, who has moved into the role of chief business officer at Ferrero’s central office in Luxembourg.

Barker joins from his previous role leading Ferrero in the Asia Pacific region. With 30 years of experience in the confectionery sector – 20 of those at Ferrero – he has held leadership positions across Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand,and North Asia.

He stated: “I started my journey with Ferrero as a sales director in the UK 20 years ago and am pleased to be returning to the region at such a dynamic time. Ferrero UK & Ireland continues to grow with strong brands, product innovation and expansion into new categories. I look forward to working alongside the talented team to continue to bring joy to our customers with our iconic brands.”

Steyaert thanked the UK & Ireland team for their dedication, saying: “I am very proud of what we have achieved together and I am confident that under Craig’s leadership, Ferrero UK & Ireland will continue to thrive and grow. I look forward to seeing his and the team’s success.”

Ferrero employs more than 47,000 people worldwide and owns brands including Nutella, Kinder, Tic Tac and Ferrero Rocher. Barker's appointment follows Ferrero's $445 million investment to expand its production facility in Brantford, Canada.