Jacob’s fills last post in top-level rejig

Jacob’s Bakery is appointing ex-Homepride marketing director Paul Cousins as general manager of one of its four business units, completing a management restructure.

Cousins will head the plain and savoury biscuits unit, taking responsibility for marketing, new product development and production and logistics on brands including Twiglets, Jacob’s Cream Crackers and Ritz Crackers.

The company, part of the French food giant Danone, recently moved from Reading to its Aintree factory site, which prompted a number of senior personnel to leave, including Cousin’s predecessor Chris Clemmow. He felt unable to relocate his family to Liverpool and took a job as head of worldwide purchasing for tobacco company Rothmans (MW October 4).

Cousins, who starts this week, will report to Jacob’s Bakery managing director David Freedman and is seen as the last key appointment in the new management team across the business units for countlines, savoury snacks and crackers, sweet biscuits and puddings.

Freedman says: “It has been a lengthy process finding the best players – but we believe that this has come to an end with Paul’s appointment.”

Cousins previously worked as a marketing controller at Spillers Foods before joining Homepride Foods, which he left following Dalgety’s decision to sell the group to Campbell’s.