Australian frozen foods group Patties Foods has appointed Michele Allan as managing director and chief executive, following the announcement that Richard Rijs is to retire.
Allan will formally assume her role following the company’s AGM on 21 November. Rijs is to remain at the company in the coming weeks to assist in the transition.
The company said Allan, who joined the board several months before Patties’ listing on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 2006, would bring “a wealth of experience to the role and is very well qualified to lead the company in the next phase of its development”.
Allan has more than thirty years’ experience in the Australian manufacturing sector, most recently working as group general manager risk and sustainability for Amcor. Prior to joining Amcor, Allan held positions at Tasmanian Bioinformatics Centre of Excellence, Bonlac Foods, Kraft Foods and ICI.
Chairman Peter Kempen paid tribute to Rijs for his contribution to the company over more than 20 years as CEO. Rijs, along with his five brothers, guided Patties from its origins as a cake shop to its current position as a significant producer of branded frozen foods.
“Richard has overseen the enormous growth of Patties over the last 20 years which has included the very successful acquisition from Simplot of the Four N’ Twenty, Herbert Adams and Nanna’s brands in 2003 and the recent acquisition of the Chefs Pride and Creative Gourmet brands,” Kempen said.

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