Ross Warburton, Executive Director of Warburtons, has been elected President of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) – the voice of the UK food and drink manufacturing industry. His term of office will start on 1 January 2009.

Mr Warburton said: “I am delighted to have been chosen by the members of the Food and Drink Federation to represent their interests and to continue the excellent work of our current President, Iain Ferguson. I look forward to working with the FDF team and other stakeholders in the food chain, as we address the challenges and opportunities that face our industry.”

Warburtons was founded in 1876 by Thomas and Ellen Warburton in a small grocery shop in Bolton, Lancashire. Today, the company employs more than 4,800 people at 13 bakeries and 17 depots stretching across the country from Bellshill in Scotland to Enfield in North London and Newton Abbot in the South West. The company produces more than two million bakery products every day.

Ross was Chairman of Warburtons from 1991-2001 and then became an Executive Director of the company. He is also Non Executive Chairman of Uniq Plc, the chilled convenience food group, and Jordans Ryvita - having previously been Chairman of Richmond Foods Plc and Marlow Foods. Ross is a former Chairman and Council member of the Federation of Bakers. He was awarded an MBE in 2004 for his services to the food industry.

As well as electing Ross to be its new chairman, FDF has announced that Paul Freeston, Chief Executive of Apetito, will be its new Deputy President and Treasurer from 1 January 2009. In addition, Jim Moseley, Managing Director of General Mills UK, will be Vice President and Chair of the Food Safety and Scientific Group; Salman Amin, President of PepsiCo UK and Ireland, will be Vice President and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Steering Group; and Fiona Dawson, Managing Director of Mars UK (Snackfoods), will be Vice President and Chair of the Sustainability and Competitiveness Steering Group.