Cranswick has appointed Rachel Horvath as a new independent non-executive director, effective from 30 April 2024. This appointment will expand the firm’s board of directors, which currently comprises four executive directors and four independent non-executive directors, including the chair.
Horvath brings a wealth of experience to the role, serving as the group people officer at Whitbread, the owner of UK hotel chain Premier Inn. With a workforce of over 39,000 employees spread across approximately 1,700 Premier Inn hotels and restaurants, Horvath’s expertise in HR and management will be a valuable addition to the board.
Prior to her role at Whitbread, Horvath held the position of group HR director at SSP Group, following a successful 16-year tenure at Tesco in various operational and HR capacities. Furthermore, her experience as an officer in the Royal Air Force, specializing in logistics and supply chain, provides a unique perspective to the board.
Upon joining Cranswick, Horvath will become a member of the remuneration, nomination, and ESG committees. It is anticipated that she will succeed Liz Barber as chair of the remuneration committee in August 2024, following a scheduled review of the company’s remuneration policy for directors.
Tim Smith, Chair of Cranswick, expressed his delight at Horvath’s appointment, emphasizing her strong HR background and commercial acumen gained from her previous roles at Whitbread, SSP Group, and Tesco. He noted that her addition to the board enhances its independence and strengthens succession planning for the Remuneration Committee.
Cranswick, a company with more than 14,750 employees and 22 production facilities across the UK, recently reported an improved Christmas trading period, leading to higher projected group adjusted profit before tax. The company is set to release its preliminary results for the 53 weeks ending 30 March on 21 May.
In related news, an abattoir in Greater Manchester has been fined £12k after being convicted of 11 food safety charges, highlighting the importance of maintaining legal temperature limits for meat storage.
