Icelandic Seachill casts net to recruit key player as new MD

Reporting to Magnus Bjarnason, president and CEO of parent company Icelandic Group, Mr Smith will be leading the £270m Icelandic Seachill business in the UK.

Mr Smith joined the Icelandic Group in 2009 as sales and marketing director after 15 years at high profile firms GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo, General Mills, Haagen Dazs and Northern Foods’ Fox’s Biscuits.

Whilst at Icelandic Group he has played a key role in developing the Icelandic Seachill business and taking the lead role in launching The Saucy Fish Co brand.

“I know and understand the business well having been part of the senior team for five years,” said Mr Smith.

“I am also very aware of the strengths and opportunities that being part of Icelandic Group can provide so I’m ready to build on the integration we’ve undertaken and lead the next phase of development for Icelandic Sea- chill.”

The Saucy Fish Co has quickly established itself as one of the leading chilled fish brands in the UK.

Under Mr Smith’s leadership the brand has made its debut in the US, Australia and Hong Kong over the last 12 months.

Mr Smith will be based at the Grimsby headquarters where the company has a workforce of over 1,260.

Icelandic Seachill is a key supplier to many of the largest retail chains in the UK providing chilled and coated fish and sea- food.

The company has a 15 per cent market share in the retail seafood sales in the UK.

Mr Bjarnason said: “This appointment not only reflects the positive impact that Simon has had on the UK business in recent years, but also underpins the future business strategy of Icelandic Group which is to inspire consumers to consume more fish, from a sustainable source.”