Ryan Govender, Interim Chief Executive Officer

Appointed to the Board in 2022.

Ryan is an experienced CFO, having worked for over 20 years in senior finance roles cross global FMCG businesses, particularly in the food sector. His diverse experience includes strategy, FP&A, corporate structuring, large capital projects, investor relations and finance transformation.

For the past 12 years he has been working at Associated British Foods, the FTSE 100 international food, ingredient and retail group, most recently as CFO of SPI Pharma, a provider of innovative solutions to global pharmaceutical and nutritional customers. Before that he held finance and management roles within other ABF businesses, including Speedibake, Germains Seed Technology and Illovo Sugar. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant at PwC in South Africa.

Alison Sleight, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Appointed 1 January 2024.

Alison was appointed Interim Chief Financial Officer to support the business when Ryan Govender became Interim Chief Executive Officer on 1 January 2024.

Alison joined Treatt as Group Financial Controller at the beginning of 2019 and was Group Finance and IT Director leading up to this appointment. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Alison started her career at KPMG and has held a variety of senior Finance roles within DS Smith group and music publishing prior to joining Treatt.

Vijay Thakrar, Chair

Committee: Nomination (Chair) | Remuneration

Appointed to the Board as Non-executive Director in September 2020. Having previously chaired the Audit Committee, he now chairs the Nomination Committee. He was appointed Chair in January 2023.

Vijay qualified as a Chartered Accountant during the early part of his career and has extensive strategy, commercial and governance experience in FMCG. He was previously a Partner with Deloitte and EY and, since 2016, has served as an NED on various Boards, including Quorn Foods and The Quoted Companies Alliance and his current key roles are set out below.

Key External Appointments:
Non-executive Chair of Alumasc Group plc
Non-executive Director of Alpha Group International plc (Audit Committee Chair)
Non-executive Director of RSM UK Holdings Limited (Remuneration Committee Chair and Audit Oversight Board)

Dr David Johnston

Appointed Non-executive Director in 2011.

David started his career working as a Biochemist for the UK government prior to transferring to Switzerland where he worked on an international program to enhance the resistance of plants to pathogens.

He then joined one of the leading flavour and fragrance companies, Firmenich SA, in a variety of commercial and technical roles over 13 years. He finished his career at Firmenich SA as head of flavour innovation globally. He then started his own company, Natural Taste Consulting SARL, which focuses on the development and sales of taste modifying compounds. Since December, 2019, David has become an independent member of the scientific advisory committee of Driscolls, a California-based global leader in the production and sales of fresh berries.

Key External Appointments:
Independent Member of Driscolls Scientific Advisory Committee

Philip O'Connor

Committee: Audit (Chair) | Nomination | Senior Independent Director

Appointed to the Board as Non-executive Director in February 2022.

Philip is an experienced business leader in B2C and B2B markets with substantial experience in high growth businesses, acquisition and post-acquisition integration, transformation and change management and leading diverse multi-functional teams.

He started his career with Kerry Group plc and qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant during the early part of his career. He spent many years at Kerry in senior roles in the USA and UK, including Finance Director of Kerry Foods, the consumer foods division of Kerry Group plc.

He was founder and CEO of two successful start-up consumer foods businesses in the healthy food market and more recently the President of Kerry Taste & Nutrition for Europe & Russia, meat & plant based alternative markets.

Christine Sisler

Committee: Remuneration | Audit

Appointed to the Board as Non-executive Director in February 2022.

After driving the continual growth of PepsiCo's iconic brands, Christine launched an entrepreneurial venture as Founding Partner & CEO for Merchant's Daughter Ciderworks, a start-up craft beverage company. In this role, she leverages more than three decades of Business Leadership, Research & Development, Commercialisation and Innovation expertise.

In the beverage start-up space Christine's expertise is a highly valued resource for development and commercialisation efforts. With her guidance, entrepreneurs have strategically launched exciting new products in both the Health and Wellness and Ready-to-Drink Alcohol categories.

As PepsiCo's Vice President of Global Innovation for Product Development & Marketing Equipment, Christine supported Global Research & Development for Carbonated and Non-Carbonated beverage portfolios and spearheaded the creation of the Beverage Culinary Innovation Center. Her signature is strategic leadership of global, cross-functional technical professionals, new product, package and equipment development - and the most cutting-edge, end-to-end commercialisation, quality and go-to-market systems. Her command of technology drives innovation and competitive advantage - deftly moving products through the supply chain from ideation to consumption.

Key External Appointments:
Serves on the New York Cider Association Executive Board as Treasurer

Bronagh Kennedy

Committee: Remuneration (Chair) | Nomination

Appointed to the Board as Non-executive Director in January 2023.

Bronagh is an experienced independent Non-executive Director with a wealth of Executive and Non-executive experience in listed companies across a number of sectors, most recently as Company Secretary & General Counsel and sustainability lead at FTSE100 listed, Severn Trent plc, a role she retired from in January 2023. She is also a Non-executive Director and member of the Remuneration Committee at the Canal and River Trust, an advisor to European Metal Recycling and was previously Remuneration Committee Chair at both Wolseley UK and at British Canoeing.

Bronagh’s broad experience spans HR, Sustainability, Corporate M&A and Restructuring, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Governance, and Risk and Regulatory Compliance she brings a passion for the delivery of outstanding customer service through engaged employees, a purpose driven culture and corporate sustainability.

Key External Appointments:
Non-executive Director Genuit plc