Richard Williams to head Müller Yogurt & Desserts in UK

German dairy major Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller has announced the appointment of Richard Williams as chief executive of Müller Yogurt & Desserts in the UK and Ireland.

With over 20 years of senior experience in marketing, commercial and general management within the dairy and wider FMCG sector, Williams joins from Saputo where he was executive committee member and vice president of its cheese business, responsible for all commercial functions.

A strategic business leader and marketer, he developed a turnaround strategy for its cheese portfolio, identified and unlocked new private label contracts and oversaw key network transformation initiatives.

He has significant experience in the yogurt and desserts category. He was previously business unit director for Yoplait Europe at General Mills and before that, he spent seven years in Danone’s US dairy division, which included four years as marketing director.

“I can’t wait to meet the team and get started at Müller Yogurt & Desserts. It’s one of the most recognisable and loved brands in the UK, with an impressive private label business and products that are found in over half of the nation’s fridges,” Williams said.

“By working hard to be the dairy partner of choice for our customers and focusing on innovation, marketing, quality and sustainability, we are in a good place to continue our growth journey and help put a smile on the nation’s face.”

Dr Manfred Weiß, group chief commercial officer for branded dairy at Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, said: “We are excited to welcome Richard to the team. Müller Yogurt & Desserts has restored momentum and we see huge opportunities for growth. With Richard in position, we are looking forward to fuelling category growth and driving more sales for our customers, which in turn benefits the whole supply chain.”