Kepak appoints new chief financial officer

Kepak Group has announced that Walter Martin has been appointed as chief financial officer (CFO) of the Irish food company.

Kepak made the announcement on Thursday that will be effective immediately, seeing him take over from Robbie Grogan, who is retiring after 34 years with the business.

However, to support a smooth transition, Grogan will remain with the company until the end of 2025.

Kepak CEO Simon Walker said that Martin will bring leadership, financial expertise and dedication to the role.

“We are confident that under Walter’s stewardship, Kepak will continue to thrive and achieve its strategic objectives,” he said.

“I also wish to pay tribute to Robbie Grogan as he retires. Kepak has transformed since he first joined the business in 1991 and we deeply appreciate his significant commitment and contribution.”

Career

Martin most recently served as chief accounting officer and company secretary with Kepak. Since joining the company in 2018, he has held key leadership positions, including head of finance and CFO for the UK meat division.

Before this company, he held senior finance roles with Ardagh Group.

Martin is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ireland, having completed his training with PwC.

He also holds a bachelor of business with economics from Trinity College Dublin and a diploma in corporate governance from the Corporate Governance Institute.

“I take on the responsibility for a highly successful finance function thanks to Robbie’s work over the past 34 years,” said Martin.

“I look forward to working closely with our leadership team with a focus on ensuring disciplined capital allocation, identifying strategic growth opportunities and delivering sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.”

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