Matt Bambrick, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Döhler, has been appointed to the Board of Governors of the Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA).
Döhler announced that Matt Bambrick has been appointed to the FEMA Board of Governors, succeeding Paul Graham, President of Americas at Döhler. Matt currently serves as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Döhler. In this role, he leads regulatory strategy and compliance efforts, supporting Döhler’s commitment to delivering safe and high-quality products worldwide.
Matt brings over two decades of experience in regulatory affairs within the food production sector and has developed deep expertise in navigating complex regulatory frameworks and ensuring compliance across diverse product lines. In his new role, Matt will contribute to FEMA’s ongoing efforts to support the safe and responsible use of flavour ingredients while advancing industry collaboration and innovation. His appointment reflects Döhler’s continued commitment to supporting the flavour industry and contributing to key regulatory and safety initiatives.
FEMA, founded in 1909, is the preeminent national association of the U.S. flavour industry, dedicated to ensuring the availability of safe flavouring substances. FEMA is also a founding member of the International Organisation of the Flavour Industry (IOFI), which is an association of regional and national associations of the flavour industry, headquartered in Switzerland. Diverse membership includes flavour ingredient suppliers, flavour manufacturers, and flavour users.
Welch’s, an iconic leader in the fruit-based food and beverage industry, announced the appointment of Cees Talma as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Talma succeeds Trevor Bynum, whose leadership for nearly 7 years has been instrumental in shaping the company’s transformative growth.
With more than 30 years of global leadership experience across the food, beverage, consumer goods, and health & wellness industries, Cees Talma will guide Welch’s into its next era of evolution. For the past 11 years, Cees has led mission-driven and family-owned companies, sharing Welch’s purpose-led approach and ongoing commitment to quality, innovation and grower-owner success. This background, combined with his track record of aligning purpose with performance, makes him uniquely suited to lead Welch’s historic legacy.
Cees brings unique experience scaling both legacy brands and disruptive newcomers. Prior to Welch’s, he served as CEO of Nature’s Way, where he led transformative growth, innovation, and operational excellence. Before that, Cees held the role of CEO at Stasher, scaling the brand’s sustainability mission and product footprint. Cees also occupied senior roles at SC Johnson and Unilever, where he grew CPG Category disruptors, led acquisitions and implemented many innovative go-to market strategies.
Peter Harding, CEO Suntory Beverage & Food Europe assumes the role as of 1 July 2023
Peter Harding, CEO of Suntory Beverage & Food Europe, has been elected as the new President of Unesda Soft Drinks Europe, representing the non-alcoholic drinks industry in Europe. He takes up his two-year mandate from 1 July 2023, taking over the presidency from Ian Ellington of PepsiCo Europe.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Harding said: ‘’I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed President of Unesda for the next two years. Unesda has a solid reputation at EU level, and I couldn’t be more excited to build on our strong momentum to contribute to the transition to a more sustainable and healthier food system in Europe. The soft drinks sector plays a major role in the European economy and our entire value chain is estimated to be worth 185bn euros per annum.1 We are a valued employer and together with our suppliers and extended value chain we support 1.7 million jobs across Europe. As an important sector within food and drink, we believe we have a key leadership role to play to help drive strategic sustainable change for Europe, while supporting the growth ambitions of our sector. I am committed to accelerating our sector’s actions and look forward to working with all stakeholders on an enabling policy and regulatory framework.’’
Mr Harding also commented on the role Unesda and its network should continue to play in society: ‘’The soft drinks sector is a very local industry with more than 400 manufacturing plants located across Europe, all strongly connected to their local community. I will encourage our network around Europe to continue supporting relevant social initiatives. I am a true believer that we have the power to make the world a better place, and giving back to society is the key to making it real.’’
Reacting to Mr Harding’s appointment, Nicholas Hodac, director general of Unesda, said: ‘’I am thrilled to welcome Peter as the new President of Unesda and work closely together towards realising our sector’s ambitions at such a pivotal time for us. We are entering into our next strategic phase as major legislative files are being reviewed, such as the proposed EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, and we get ready for a new era of EU policy with the European elections next year. I greatly look forward to the next chapter of our incredible journey.’’
Hodac concluded: ‘’I also wish to express my debt of gratitude to our outgoing President, Ian Ellington, for his extraordinary leadership of Unesda in the past two years. Ian has significantly strengthened our association’s leadership role in driving circularity forward and helping European consumers to make more sustainable and healthier dietary choices.2 We have taken bold leaps forward and we will build upon this great progress.’’
1 The entire value chain of the soft drinks sector includes agricultural raw ingredients, raw materials for packaging, other soft drinks ingredients (e.g. water, syrups), R&D related to innovation across products and services, creative services, transport and distribution of products, retail sales (e.g. supermarkets) and foodservice sales (e.g. HORECA). Source: Global Data.
2 In 2021, Unesda announced a series of voluntary commitments in its two main priority areas for action: sustainability, and health and nutrition. In February 2021, Unesda launched its Circular Packaging Vision 2030, which aims to achieve full circularity of its beverage packaging by 2030. A few months later, in June2021, Unesda announced its new and enhanced commitments to continue to support European consumers in adopting healthier dietary habits.
Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition, and materials, announced that Patrick Niels is appointed President DSM Food Specialties as of 1 August 2017.
Patrick, a Dutch national, has held leadership roles across a number of regions and businesses for DSM, most recently as President DSM Resins & Functional Materials, where he has led the transformation of the Business Group into a high-performing, fast-growing business with very high employee engagement.
Patrick began his career at Gist-Brocades in 1991, and held several Marketing & Sales roles as well as Business Management roles, before the company was acquired by DSM in 1997. He went on to build his career in increasingly senior roles within DSM, including leading DSM Coating Resins, DSM Desotech and latest DSM Resins & Functional Materials.
Patrick Niels succeeds Ilona Haaijer, who has decided to continue her career outside DSM. Helen Mets will succeed Patrick as President DSM Resins & Functional Materials.
