UK-based food ingredients firm Tate & Lyle has announced the appointment of Ian Bacon as chief executive of its European sugars division.


Bacon will join Tate & Lyle on 1 November 2005 and will take up his new position on 1 January 2006. From that date, he will lead the company’s European sugars business, which operates refineries in London and Lisbon, and its sugar and molasses trading operations.  He will become a member of the Tate & Lyle group operational committee upon his joining the group, reporting to Tate & Lyle’s chief operating officer, Stanley Musesengwa.


Bacon is currently vice president, global customer development at Unilever.  He has more than 25 years’ experience working in the food sector and has held a range of senior positions at Unilever, including vice president of operations for North Africa, Middle East and Turkey, and general manager of Birds Eye Wall’s.