Meet our Leadership Team

Seamus Kearney

GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Seamus Kearney is Group CEO at Valeo Foods and joined the company in 2011 from Jacob Fruitfield where he was Managing Director from 2007. Prior to that Seamus worked with Aer Lingus for 17 years where he laterally held the position of Chief Operating Officer.

Brendan Feeney

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Brendan Feeney joined Valeo Foods in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. Previously Brendan held senior CFO roles with Kingspan Group Plc across Ireland, the UK, Western Europe, North America and Australia between 2000 and 2012. Before that, Brendan worked with Deloitte in Ireland.

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John Power

MANAGING DIRECTOR, VALEO FOODS IRELAND

John Power joined Valeo Foods Ireland in September 2020. Previously he was CEO of Symington’s, a UK FMCG food company. Prior to that he worked with Associated British Foods as Operations Director for the UK based Silver Spoon Company, Vice President of Global Supply Chain for their Enzymes business and then as Operations Director for MAURI anz, their flour milling, feed milling and yeast manufacturing business in Australia. In 2020 he won the UK Food Manufacturing Industry Business Leader of the Year Award.

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Ian Ainsworth

MANAGING DIRECTOR, VALEO FOODS UK

Ian Ainsworth joined Valeo Foods as UK Managing Director in 2014 from Weetabix where he was UK and Ireland Sales Director. He has extensive experience and knowledge of the food industry having previously worked in senior leadership positions at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. He was previously Managing Director of Yoplait UK.

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Alberto Alfieri

CEO, VALEO FOODS ITALY

Alberto Alfieri is CEO of Valeo Foods Italy having joined the company in 2017 from the Fiorucci food group where he served as CEO. Prior to that, Alberto held various leadership roles in a number of FMCG companies across continental Europe including positions as CEO of Danone and Parmalat in Italy.

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Ashley Hicks

MANAGING DIRECTOR, VALEO SNACKFOODS

Ashley Hicks joined Kettle Foods as Managing Director in 2015 and following the business’ integration into Valeo Foods Group, Hicks was subsequently appointed Managing Director of Valeo Foods Confectionery. Following the integration of Valeo Foods Confectionery & Snacking, Hicks was appointed Managing Director of Valeo Snackfoods. He has over 20 years of food industry experience having previously held senior roles with Tesco Hungary as Commercial Director and Mars Confectionery.

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Milena Rusnokova

MANAGING DIRECTOR, VALEO FOODS CZECH REPUBLIC

Milena Rusnokova is Managing Director of Valeo Foods Czech Republic. Having joined Candy Plus in 2006, Milena held the role of Financial Director until she was appointed Managing Director in 2016. She has extensive experience in financial and operations management and has deep expertise across the global confectionery category.

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Joe Walsh

STRATEGIC PROJECTS DIRECTOR

Before joining Valeo Foods as Group Operations Director, Joe Walsh was Managing Director of R&H Hall and Odlums. Joe has extensive experience in change management and business integration and was Director of Operations with Greencore’s sugar and malt businesses, and held senior operations and engineering positions in Ireland with General Electric and Gillette.