Nestlé UK and Ireland has appointed Ben Duncan to its senior leadership team as managing director for food UK and Ireland, effective 13 April,
In his new role, Duncan will lead Nestlé’s food business across the UK and Ireland.
He began his career in market research before joining Purina, Nestlé’s pet care business, in 2004. Over the past two decades, he has held a range of senior commercial roles in the UK and internationally, building broad experience across sales, marketing and category leadership.
After starting as category manager in the UK, Duncan moved to the Netherlands in 2011 to lead sales and marketing for Purina’s specialist channel business, guiding the team through a challenging market. He returned to the UK in 2015 to take on a senior role leading Purina’s specialist and ecommerce business, before assuming responsibility in 2020 for strategic revenue management, category management and shopper marketing across Purina teams in Northern Europe.
Since January 2024, Duncan has served as head of marketing for Purina’s northern region.
Speaking about his appointment, Duncan said: “I’m really pleased to be stepping into the role of managing director and joining the brilliant team in our food business. Our trusted brands play a key role in everyday meals for families across the UK and Ireland, and I’m excited to build on that trust and put consumers at the centre of everything we do.”
Duncan has a degree in Economics and lives with his wife and two children in West Sussex. A keen runner, he is currently training for the London Marathon.


