Quaker Oats hires Dairy Crest man

Quaker Oats has appointed Jeff Cowell to the new position of commercial director, cereals UK.

UK country manager Kevan Lawton is leaving the company and will be “exploring a number career options”.

Cowell is currently marketing director at Yoplait Dairy Crest. He was previously with Heinz.

Cowell takes up his role next month and will report to European president for cereals George Sewell.

Lawton’s job as country manager combined the role of commercial director with that of managing director. There is no longer a post of managing director at the company.

These are the most senior changes to be announced since the restructuring of Quaker Oats’ cereals operations after the sale of its European petfood division to Dalgety (MW February 10), which resulted in the loss of about 200 jobs.