Inghams Group CEO Jim Leighton has resigned from the poultry processor, effective immediately. Ingham’s chair Peter Bush said Leighton would be returning to the US and was returning for family reasons. Andrew Reeves has been appointed CEO and managing director.
Leighton joined Ingham’s in 2018 and has been acknowledged as reinvigorating the company. Bush said Leighton and his team had “significantly improved the operations of our company”.
“The board and I thank Jim and his family for managing the many challenges they have faced since Jim’s arrival over two years ago. Kim and his team have built a solid foundation for growth,” he said.
Leighton will stay with the company until the end of the financial year.
Reeves was a non-executive director on the Ingham’s board and comes to the role with four decades of experience in FMCG. Most recently he was CEO of George Weston Foods ANZ from 2011 to 2016. Previous roles included managing director of Lion Dairy & Drinks, Lion Nathan Australia, Coca-Cola Amatil Australia, and The Smith’s Snack Food Company. He had also served as chair and deputy chair of the Australian Food & Grocery Council.
