Senior Team
Michael Cole
Chairman
Mike is chairman of Anglia Holdings Ltd (www.angliaholdings.com). He led the Petty Wood MBI in 2007.
Mike graduated in 1970 with an honours degree in chemistry. He started his commercial career working for organisations such as United Biscuits, Danish Bacon Company, Adams Foods and Fort Howard Corporation (USA) in a variety of management roles, focusing on sales and marketing projects.
Career development moved him into general management and he has spent time as MD/CEO of a number of companies, including Leisure Drinks plc and Marshall Foods Group.
He set up his own company in 1990 to provide interim management and general consultancy, undertaking a number of senior management roles for a range of organisations including Northern Foods plc, Games Workshop plc, and Uniq plc, primarily dealing with performance improvement, management change and reorganisation.
He has led a number of MBIs, acquisitions and disposals. Within the food industry, in addition to Petty Wood, Mike is also chairman of Pasta King (UK) Ltd.
Simon Cuthbertson
Non Executive Director
Simon qualified as a chartered accountant in his home town of Birmingham in 1980 with Binder Hamlyn, now part of Deloittes. He joined PricewaterhouseCoopers later that year in Liberia, West Africa, where he was made partner in 1984 and managing partner in 1986. He ran the office until returning to the UK - after 2 plane crashes, one near drowning, one medical evacuation, an accidental involvement in one attempted coup, one marriage and 2 children - in 1989 for a quiet life!
He opened a new office for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Milton Keynes in 1989. After spells leading that and other offices, he left the firm in 2000 to pursue a career in industry.
Simon has subsequently acquired equity stakes in a number of businesses in a wide variety of sectors, acting as a director in many. He is currently chairman of Halifax Fan Group Limited, and of the Milton Keynes Orchestra. He is a director of Evolved Group Limited and a trustee of the YRM Employee Benefit Trust.
Mike Hogg
CEO
Mike joined Petty Wood as C.E.O in August 2007, as part of the buyout team.
Before joining Petty Wood, Mike spent four years as commercial director of the seafood and prepared salad divisons of Uniq plc.
Before joining Uniq, Mike was a buying consultant in the health and beauty industry. Prior to that, he spent 27 years with Marks and Spencer in a variety of roles, both instore and in the head office food division.
Mike is married and has two daughters. He is passionate supporter of the Scottish rugby team and is the proud owner of a limited edition bottle of malt whisky from the last time Scotland won the Grand Slam. He has sworn not to open this bottle until they win the Grand Slam again - it could become a very old bottle!
Giles Reynolds
Brand Director
Giles joined Petty Wood in 1995 as an assistant brand manager. He has since worked his way up through the business to become brand director, and was part of the management buy out team in 2007. Giles has wide commercial and operational experience in managing and developing brands across all of the catergories in which Petty Wood operate. He has a track record of delivering growth within a commercially sensible framework.
Giles is married with two sons who take up all of his free time!
Sean Linehan
Financial Director
Having joined KPMG in 1990 as a graduate trainee, Sean qualified as a chartered accountant in 1993. He then spent a further three years moving between various disciplines of audit, corporate recovery, tax and corporate acquisition.
His first move outside of the profession was as a financial controller with a FTSE 250 company involved in the developemnt and manufacture of building controls, where he assumed full responsibility for the finance function, IT, HR, budgeting and financial reporting.
His first operational experience of a distribution business was in 2002, when he joined a white goods importer. Since 2005 he has been at Petty Wood, and was part of the buyout team in 2007. Sean has full responsibilty for the support services of the organisation, assisted by a dedicated team of professionals with the appropriate skills.
John Potter
Director
John joined Petty Wood in July 2008, principally focusing on the development of the Epicure brand. He is also responsible for the Company's Sales Team in the UK, Irish and Export Markets. John has had 25 years experience in the food and drink industry, in a number of different sectors. Most recently, he spent 7 years in the fresh produce industry successfully combining CEO and stakeholder roles. Prior to that, he spent 5 years at Arla Foods, one of Europe’s largest dairy companies, in a number of directorial positions as part of their UK trading board.
John is married with two sons, and his whole family are ardent West Ham supporters. John loves all sports but unfortunately these days is limited to playing golf to a mediocre 10 handicap. Although the mind is still willing, a once impressive sporting career has now long gone due to joint malfunction and drying up of the talent pool. He has just retired for the 25th time from 5 aside football. He is also a very keen amateur photographer.
Lorraine Ellison
Non-Executive Director: International Trade
Lorraine Ellison MBE was appointed as a non-executive director in 2010 to help develop international trade opportunities. Lorraine said “Petty Wood has been helping food companies penetrate the UK market for many years. It has the largest independent retail distribution network in the country and is best known for its depth of market coverage across all retail, wholesale and foodservice channels. Growing the export side of the business is a natural progression for Petty Wood and it has a solid platform established upon which we will now look to develop.”
Lorraine enjoys a day-to-day role as a business manager for Lord Digby Jones, and has 30 years of experience developing brands internationally and establishing strategic partnerships for companies across a diverse range of sectors. An advisor for UK Trade and Investment, she has spent many years leading trade missions and developing BRIC markets for British companies. In 2004, she was awarded an MBE for services to international trade.
Gerry Monkcom
Senior Brand Manager
Gerry joined Petty Wood as a senior brand manager in May 2008.
Prior to joining Petty Wood, Gerry worked for 20 years as commercial director for Peter Black Toiletries and Cosmetics Ltd.
Before this, Gerry had a varied career in senior management at E.R Holloway, Robert McBride Group, British Tissues, Courtaulds and Ford Motor Company.
Gerry is married with two daughters who are at university. He is a self confessed workaholic, but will if his arm is twisted, spend the odd afternoon whacking a small red ball around England's green and pleasant lands.
Nick Peters
Senior Brand Manager
Nick joined Petty wood as brand manager for ethnic foods in November 1998.
Before joing Petty Wood, Nick was commercial manager at Sheriffs, responsible for brand and customer own label development. In total, Nick has in excess of 25 years experience in the food industry, having worked in a number of sales and marketing roles within Cadbury Schweppes, Premier Brands and Elsenham Quality Foods.
Nick is married with one teenage daughter. He is a keen sports enthusiast with a particular focus on golf (work commitments permitting!) and currently has a handicap of 6.
Jonathan Burrell
Senior Brand Manager
Jonathan joined Petty Wood as a brand manager in May 2003.
Before joining Petty Wood, Jonathan was a senior buyer at Alldays Stores plc, responsible for the biscuit, bread and cake categories, with additional responsibility for the buyer of ambient grocery categories.
Jonathan has over 28 years experience in the food industry, having started as a store manager with Misselbrook and Weston. Since then, Jonathan has held various senior management roles in operations, supply chain, category management, buying and marketing with Misselbrook & Weston, One Stop, Hobbycraft, Alldays and Co op.
Jonathan is married with one son, one daughter and two stepsons. He is a keen motorcyclist with a passion for maintaining and restoring classic bikes. Sport is an important part of his life and he runs, plays squash and football, although less frequently and slower than in previous years. Jonathan is also a supporter of Bournemouth football club.
Gavin Tarrant
Senior Brand Manager
Gavin joined Petty Wood in January 2009.
He has 25 years of sales and marketing experience, with much of his career spent working in the confectionery and snacks market. He worked for several years at Cadburys before spending a similar period at Lindt of Switzerland, where he first ran a marketing team and then moved into a number of sales roles.
He now manages a portfolio of confectionery brands from around the world for Petty Wood.
Gavin is married with one daughter and is a keen football fan.
Jonathan Holden
Foodservice Controller
Jonathan joined Petty Wood in 2009 and has already become a very valuable member of the team with his knowledge and experience within the foodservice industry.
Jonathan has over 16 years foodsevice experience, having worked for 3663, RHM and latterly Willaim Jackson Food Group, operating across all sectors and product categories, from ambient to fresh produce.
He is a self confessed foodie and is passionate rugby player, when not injured!
David Johnson
Retail Controller
David joined Petty Wood in 2006 as a retail accounts controller.
He has over 20 years of experience in the food industry in sales, category management and marketing roles.
He spent the first 7 years at RHM within the Sharwoods division, staring as a graduate trainee and moving through the ranks to team manager, marketing assistant, national accounts executive and national accounts manager. He then spent 7 years at Nestle, managing a number of brands including Findus, Crosse & Blackwell, Buitoni and Nescafe, in a number of sales, marketing and category manangement roles. From there he went to Kerry Foods and spent 3 years heading up a team of national account managers, managing the convenience channel.
Dave is married with 3 girls and a keen sports person, being the team coach/manager of our 5-a side football team.
Nigel Redmile
Wholesale Controller
Nigel joined Petty Wood in 2009. He has spent most of the last 30 years working in the confectionery industry, for companies such as Bassetts (now part of Cadburys), Elizabeth Shaw, Ferrero and Bendicks. Having started his career 'on the road' he has a wide experience of managing both sales teams and major customers. Prior to joining Petty Wood, his most recent job was at Bendicks as business unit controller, where he was responsible for managing the grocery multiple national account team.
Nigel is married with 2 boys, and is a keen clay pigeon shooter.
