Peter Blackburn

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Biographical Information

From 2008: "Peter Blackburn’s business career began with the Bradford accountants, R S Dawson in 1962 as an Articled Clerk. In 1966 he took his initial step into the food and confectionery industry when he became Works Accountant at John Mackintosh & Son in Halifax before being appointed Financial Controller at the Mackintosh Head Office in Norwich. Between 1972 and 1985 he worked in the Rowntree Mackintosh Overseas & European Divisions (becoming MD of the latter in 1980). In 1982 he was appointed a Group Board Director of Rowntree Mackintosh plc, becoming Joint Chairman and later Chairman of the UK and Eire Region between 1985 and 1988. After the acquisition of Rowntree by Nestlé in June 1988, Peter Blackburn became Chairman of Rowntree UK and Head of Nestlé’s International Chocolate and Confectionery Strategy Group. He was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive of Nestlé UK in April 1991. In 1996 he became President / Directeur Général of Nestlé France before returning to Nestlé UK in late 1997. He retired from Nestle in June 2001. In January 2000 Peter Blackburn became President of the Food and Drink Federation, retiring from this position in December 2002. He was President of the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) from July 1998 until July 2000. From January 2002 until July 2005 he was Chairman of Northern Foods plc. He is currentley a non-executive director of SIG plc and was a non-executive director of Compass Group PLC from 2002 -2007."