Highland Spring has bolstered its sales force with the appointment of Simon Oldham as UK group sales director.
Oldham replaces Alan Simpson, who is retiring from this position after 18 years and who will now take up a new non executive role within the Highland Spring Group.
Joining Highland Spring from his role as UK & Ireland managing director at Whyte & Mackay, Oldham will work closely with the national sales team to build the company’s domestic customer base, as it edges closer to becoming the No 1 bottled water brand in the UK.
At Whyte & Mackay, Simon headed up a 70 strong team and before that spent nine years with Procter & Gamble.
The appointment follows Highland Spring’s agreement to acquire the bottled water division of Dublin-based Greencore Group plc which will establish the Scottish company as the largest bottled water supplier in the UK.
The acquisition is expected to deliver an estimated combined sales volume in excess of 350 million litres a year, also bringing the company closer to its ambition of becoming a £100 million turnover business in the medium term.
Les Montgomery, chief executive of Highland Spring, said, “Simon’s knowledge and experience will be a great asset to our sales team and will help drive our growth strategy to become the No 1 bottled water brand in the UK. He joins the company at an important time in our development, as we integrate Greencore’s bottled water division into the Group. And with the bottled water market now back in growth, it is going to be an exciting year for the industry.”
Simon commented on his appointment: “Highland Spring is an iconic brand and a company with high ambitions, which punches well above its weight. I am looking forward to joining the team at this pivotal point in the company’s history and building on the great work done to date.”
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Notes to editors
• Simon’s appointment is from Jan 2010.
• Highland Spring is the largest bottled water supplier in the UK, leading produced brand of bottled water, No2 still brand, No 1 sparkling, No 1 kids, No 1 in cash & carries and the leading producer in the on-trade.
Issued by:
Sarah Ormerod / Ashley Reid
3x1 Public Relations
0141 221 0707
sormerod@3x1.com / areid@3x1.com