Tangerine Confectionery has reported the passing of its chief executive, Benoit Testard, on 16 February, aged 60, after a short illness.
The former United Biscuits chief executive joined the board of Tangerine as a non-executive director in September 2013 and became chief executive in March 2014.
The company said he made a great impact during his two-year tenure by revitalising the Butterkist brand and establishing a great foundation for the growth of the company’s sugar confectionery business - both in own label and branded.
Colleagues described him as “a remarkable man” who left “an indelible impression on all he met in the industry”. He was “a great source of inspiration” and “a mentor to many”.
Testard was born in Paris and graduated from Edhec Business School in 1980 before joining Reckitt & Colman as product manager in France and then South Africa. He worked for UB for 14 years from October 1998, a period that saw the company undergo significant changes - from being publicly listed to its acquisition by a private equity consortium.
Testard was UB’s first MD of Northern Europe, working with the BN, Delacre and Verkade brands across Belgium, France and the Netherlands. He became UK MD in August 2004 and was chief executive from 2011 to 2013 in a role in which he oversaw the separation and sale of the KP Snacks business to Intersnack.
A memorial to celebrate his life will be held in Paris on 22 April.
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