Executive team

Keith Packer

Managing Director

Keith joined British Sugar as Managing Director in June 2023 from 2 Sisters Group, where he was Managing Director of the Meal Solutions, UK Poultry and Frozen divisions since 2015. Here he headed a business that creates industry-leading prepared meals and pizzas for major UK supermarkets.

Prior to this, he was the Chief Executive of Typhoo Tea for 5 years, and he has also held key commercial roles within Britvic and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and Allied Bakeries – another ABF business, where he was a National Account Manager in the late 1990s. He started his management career with Sainsburys.

Keith brings a keen focus on quality, operational and commercial excellence to British Sugar, and looks forward to continuing to embed our strategies and building relationships with customers and farmers, whilst reducing carbon intensity.

Pablo Puerto

Supply Chain Director

Pablo joined British Sugar in October 2018 to take up the newly created role of Supply Chain Director.

Having started his career over 30 years ago Pablo has spent much of his time in the sugar industry in Spain and most recently was Operations Director at Azucarera, British Sugar’s sister company.

Pablo left Azucarera for five years to work for J. García Carrión, the leading wine and juice supplier in Madrid, as Director of Industry and Investments. He returned in 2011.

Pablo is responsible for the smooth running of our four factories, from processing to packaging and ensuring we continue to meet the needs of our customers. 

Maria Franklin

People  Director

Maria joined British Sugar in March 2020 after ten years at Marston’s PLC, where she partnered the Marston’s Beer Company Board during a time of significant organisational change including acquisitions, to enable and drive a growth agenda.

Since joining British Sugar, she has played a key role within the Supply Chain Leadership Team, as they've developed their operating model to enable a performance led approach with a customer focus. She joined the British Sugar Executive Team as People Director in February 2023.

Daniel Green

Agriculture Director

Daniel has a breadth of experience ranging from his family arable farming background, as well as working through various operational roles since joining British Sugar in 2003.

Having studied chemical engineering at university Dan joined British Sugar's graduate programme, based at Cantley. After successfully completing it, he was promoted to Shift Manager at Wissington and then continued his career by completing a variety of operational roles. In 2012, he returned to Cantley as Performance Manager, and was promoted to Site General Manager in 2016.

As Factory Manager, at our Cantley plant, he has been instrumental in building and leading the team to transform the performance of all aspects of the plant; from receiving sugar beet, through to delivering our range of products to our customers.

Olivia Seccombe

Head of Corporate Affairs

Olivia joined British Sugar in May 2022 as Head of Corporate Affairs, from the National Farmers’ Union where she spent five years as Head of External Affairs.

Having started her career as a Political Researcher in Westminster, she has worked in communications multiple roles in the agriculture sector, including at Dairy Crest Group and the Countryside Alliance.

Olivia is responsible for British Sugar’s wider Corporate Affairs strategy, including external affairs, advocacy and media relations, as well as our internal communications and communications with our sugar beet growers.