Directors
Andrew Hartley - Chief Executive Officer
Andrew is a qualified chartered accountant having completed his training with KPMG in Leeds. In 1987 he left KPMG to join Encon plc, a venture capital backed insulation manufacturer and distributor as group financial controller, later becoming finance director of Encon RGS Insulation Limited, the group’s distribution division. In 1992 Andrew took up the position of group financial controller with the listed engineering and fluid transfer group, Syltone plc and was promoted to financial director in 1997; during this time he was part of a small executive team that restructured and grew the business up to its acquisition by a US company in 2004. Andrew was appointed to the Company as finance director in October 2005 and subsequently took up the position of Chief Executive of the Company on 10 April 2006.
Gerard Russell - Technical and Operations Director
Gerard (Ged) is a graduate in quantity surveying and construction economics from the University of Salford. After completing his degree, Ged worked for the Mossmorran project in Fife for Shell ⁄ Esso, then progressed into various roles for the local authorities in the North East, eventually being promoted to the head of the building economics unit for North Yorkshire County Council. In 1989 Ged joined Baker Mallett LLP where he worked on projects for ICI, Enron Power, Uniqema, Synetix, Katalco and other chemical products businesses throughout Europe and the US. In 1994 Ged was appointed as a partner with the firm and in 2004 ⁄ 05 managed the team which took the Biofuels Corporation plc biodiesel plant project from floatation through to physical completion. Ged was appointed as Technical & Operations Director of the Company on 19 January 2006.
David Knibbs - Commercial Director
After completing a degree in Economics at Sheffield University, David joined the Mars Corporation as a graduate trainee. Over the next 9 years, David took on a number of roles in both Sales & Marketing, rising to the position of National Sales Manager. David joined HP Bulmer, the UK listed drinks business in 1997 as Sales & Trade marketing Director, then in 2000 David became CEO of their North American business where he spearheaded the launch of the Strongbow brand in the USA. In 2003, David was appointed Group Marketing Director of Grampian Country Food Group (the UK’s leading meat & poultry supplier and a top 5 supplier to each of the major supermarkets). David brings extensive experience in Sales & Marketing in both customer and channel management and in Brand development. David was appointed Commercial Director of the Company on 1st March 2007.
Gareth Jones - Finance Director
After completing a mining engineering degree at Nottingham University in 1989, Gareth joined PricewaterhouseCoopers and qualified as a chartered accountant. Gareth's first move out into industry was in 1994 when he took up the position of business auditor for the British Printing Company Limited. In 1995 he joined Syltone plc as a group accountant and shortly afterwards in 1996 he was appointed as finance director of Emco Wheaton, one of the group's key manufacturing facilities responsible for the design and manufacture of oil valves. In 2002 he returned to the head office as group financial controller of Syltone plc. In 2004 and following the acquisition of the Syltone Group by a US listed company, Gardner Denver, Gareth was appointed to the post of European finance director and subsequently finance director of the blower division, the largest of the group's divisions (turnover $450m). Gareth was appointed as Finance Director of the Company on 31 October 2006.
David Salkeld - Non-Executive Director
David (BSc(Econ), Dip PM, FIGD) Formerly Group Chief Executive of Grampian Country Foods Group, Chief Executive of Arla Foods plc and Managing Director of Northern Dairies. Born in Middlesbrough and a graduate in Economics from London University, David has extensive experience in building and developing companies, and substantial experience in Agricultural businesses, manufacturing and retail. He is the Senior Independent Director for Kelda the Footsie 100 utilities group and is a Non Executive Director for Tees Valley Regeneration.
Peter Jones - Director
Peter Jones has been engaged as a consultant to Vireol since November 2006 to advise on the wheat market and strategic issues. Peter has recently retired as wheat director with Rank Hovis McDougall where he had the responsibility for buying 1.5 million tonnes of wheat per annum. He is a former chairman of the National Association of British and Irish Millers Wheat Committee as well as a regular industry negotiator with the National Farmer's Union, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affiars, and the European Commission.
