UK – UK Flour Millers, the trade association for the flour milling industry in the UK, has appointed Alistair Gale as its chief executive officer effective June 1st.

Gale is taking over from the Director General, Alex Waugh, who is retiring after leading the organization (formerly nabim) for more than two decades.

Gale is joining the UK flour millers from the Port of London Authority (PLA), where he is currently the director of corporate affairs and strategy.

Prior to the PLA, Gale worked for Blue Circle Industries PLC/Lafarge, Cement UK, the UK’s largest cement manufacturer.

Gale in a statement said that he is pleased to join the UK flour milling sector which is vital to the nation, adding that flour is an ingredient in about a third of our supermarket foods.

“I’m looking forward to joining in the early summer, continuing the transformation in profile and representation the association has been evolving through over recent years,” he added.

On the other hand, Waugh, who is retiring has worked across several other representative organizations, including the UK Rice Association and European Flour Millers.

He also played a leading role in several sectoral committees and organizations advising government and industry.

Commenting on Alex Waugh’s retirement, Roger Butler, president of UK Flour millers and chairman of Whitworth Bros and Carr’s flour mills praised Waugh on his exemplary work citing his passion for the milling industry.

“He has helped us address many challenges and changes in his time with the association. He will leave with our heartfelt thanks for an amazingly well-done job,” Roger noted.

The UK flour milling industry processes 6.2 million tonnes of wheat to produce almost 5 million tonnes of flour every year, including starch and industrial uses of flour.

According to the trade association, the industry is currently comprised of 51 mills which combined employ about 2,500 people across the UK.

As the industry’s representative body, UK Floor millers’ roles include collating and sharing the collective views and positions of members.

The association speaks on behalf of its members to the government, policymakers, the media, and other stakeholders.

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