Ole & Steen, Pret, and TraceGains announce new senior hires
New leadership appointments have been unveiled at Ole & Steen, Pret, and TraceGains to support growth in key markets including the UK.
Roles cover marketing, business development, and sales, as well as a change to the chairman of the board.
Check out the round-up of latest hires at the bakery brands and ingredients solutions provider as follows:
Ole & Steen
Bakery chain Ole & Steen has appointed Sarah Harris (pictured above) as its new Group CMO to help accelerate growth of the brand across the UK, Denmark, and the US.
Harris brings over 25 years of experience in retail and hospitality marketing to the help shape the next chapter of Ole & Steen, spanning marketing, brand, product, and digital strategy. She is also to play a pivotal role in strengthening customer engagement and loyalty as the brand continues to invest in digital and sustainability-led innovation.
Harris joined the company on 19 May from Starbucks, where she spent nearly a decade in various senior leadership positions including most recently as director of marketing, product, digital and sustainability UK. She was said to have transformed the food offering of the chain, doubling Starbucks Rewards app engagement, and leading award-winning campaigns that helped elevate the brand and deliver strong commercial results.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Ole & Steen at such a dynamic moment in its growth journey,” commented Harris. “I’m passionate about building brands that connect deeply with their communities, and I look forward to driving strategies that enhance the customer experience and support long-term success.”
Ole & Steen currently operates 23 stores across London as well as one each in Oxford, Windsor, and Guildford. It launched new sweet and savoury bakery items as part of a spring 2025 menu, and regular creates new seasonal versions of its popular Cinnamon Social.
Pret A Manger
José Cil has been named chairman of high street chain Pret, succeeding Konrad Meyer who will remain on the board as a director.
Described as “one of the most established leaders in the hospitality industry”, Cil most recently served as CEO of Restaurant Brands International, the Canadian multinational holding company that owns quick service brands including Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs. During his time in that role, he helped grow the business to more than $40bn (£29.5bn) in system-wide sales and 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.
As Pret’s new Chairman, Cil will work alongside the leadership team to help accelerate the brand’s growth, create exceptional food and coffee experiences for its customers, and deliver strong financial results for the company and its shareholders. Pret has expanded rapidly over the past five years and now serves customers at more than 700 locations across 21 countries, including South Africa since February 2025.
Joining Cil on the Pret board are industry veterans Elias Diaz Sese, co-founder of Popeyes UK, and Andre Molinari, head of international development at Tim Hortons. “I have a huge amount of admiration for Pret A Manger and believe we have only scratched the surface when it comes to fulfilling Pret’s true potential,” said Cil. “Elias and Andre are two exceptional leaders that will bring tremendous value to the Board, and I want to thank Konrad for helping Pret get back to what it does best.”
Meyer has been on the Pret board since its acquisition by JAB Holding in 2018. He took over from previous chairman Olivier Goudet last year.
TraceGains
Global ingredients marketplace TraceGains has appointed six new team members as a “major step forward in its European growth journey”. This includes scaling its local presence to meet customers needs in key markets including the UK, Ireland, DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), and Benelux (the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg).
Dean Fitzsimmons has been named as the new account executive for the UK and Ireland, with Matthew Anderson assuming the role of market development manager for Europe. Meanwhile, Hannah-Marian Thompson, Koen De Croo, Mandy Lämmel, and Tim Juchert have been appointed as market development representative, sales engineer, marketing manager, and account executive, respectively, for the DACH region.
“We’re seeing extraordinary demand across Europe as F&B businesses race to future-proof their operations against evolving regulations like the EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation) and CSRD (Corporate Social Responsibility Directive), as well as challenges like supply chain disruptions, managing global supply networks, and growing consumer demands for transparency and innovation,” commented Michelle Henry, director of sales for Europe at TraceGains.
“Our growing European team brings the perfect mix of local insight, technical expertise, and commercial drive to help our customers turn these challenges into competitive advantages. With this expanded team, we’re doubling down on our promise to help brands thrive in an ever-changing global marketplace,” she added.
TraceGains serves over 1,500 customers worldwide, including half of the top 100 global F&B manufacturers, connecting brands to their supply chains across a global network of 100,000 supplier locations and more than 600,000 ingredients and products. Last year, it unveiled strategic partnerships with sustainability champions DitchCarbon, HowGood, Sedex, and Sustained Impact.
