George Weston Foods Limited (GWF) has announced the planned departure and retirement of Andrew Reeves, Chief Executive, and the appointment of internal successor, Stuart Grainger, to succeed him.
Over the past five years, Reeves (pictured left) has led GWF’s $100M turnaround and established the foundations for the Company’s future growth. ABF CEO, George Weston paid tribute to Andrew Reeves’ achievements as Chief Executive during his tenure with the business.
Weston said, “Andrew joined GWF in 2011 and has led the business successfully through a major turnaround, restoring business stability and performance, improving safety, retailer relationships and attracting and developing talent – all critical to the Company’s future growth. I would like to sincerely thank Andrew for his significant contribution over the past five years and recognise the legacy he leaves in transforming GWF into the sustainable business it is today. I wish him all the best for his future.
“I’m also delighted to see Stuart Grainger appointed as the new Chief Executive, with his extensive experience in food and manufacturing industries, as well as 20 years with ABF. Following a search process, we’ve appointed a high calibre internal successor to lead GWF in the dynamic and increasingly challenging Australian and New Zealand food markets.”
Stuart Grainger’s (pictured right) career with ABF spans over twenty years and he brings a wealth of market, operational and leadership experience to this important role. Stuart has extensive experience in the food industry and in driving value across the entire food supply chain from ‘farm to fork’. Most recently, as Managing Director of Don Smallgoods, he led the business through a significant period of change including commissioning a new $280M state-of-the-art smallgoods factory in Castlemaine Victoria.
In the coming months, Andrew Reeves will support Stuart Grainger to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities so the business momentum continues strongly. Stuart will officially take over the role of CEO from September 2016 and will report directly to George Weston, CEO ABF.