Kerry has announced the appointment of Oliver Kelly as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of its North American operations.

The appointment will be effective from 1 January 2022.

The Galway man will replace Gerry Behan, who acted as interim president and CEO and who will continue in his broader capacity as president and CEO for Kerry Taste and Nutrition.

Kerry is a leading taste and nutrition partner for global food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets.

Numerous roles

A Kerry spokesperson said that Oliver Kelly has served in numerous commercial and management roles over a period of 30 years, most recently holding the role of commercial CEO for North America.

“A native of Ballinasloe in Co Galway, he joined Kerry in 1991 after graduating from University College Dublin with a BA in agricultural science.

“He moved to north America from Ireland in 2018 after leading Kerry’s strategic growth in the food service channel for the Europe region.”

Commenting on the new appointment, president and CEO of taste and nutrition at Kerry Gerry Behan said: “Throughout his career, Oliver has demonstrated sustainable success in building and leading effective teams that fuel business growth for Kerry and for our customers.

“Oliver has also shown a clear passion for driving change and a personal commitment to promoting a more inclusive workplace within Kerry.”