Former Iceland boss and one-time Tesco distribution director Stuart Ross has become the first chairman of Food Northwest - the food and drink arm of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

His job with the organisation - launched on 1 April - will be to help bang the drum for the North West's food and drinks industry at home and abroad.

Ross has had more than 20 years' experience in the food and drink sector. Between January 2002 and February 2005, he was supply chain and distribution director for Tesco, before becoming joint MD at Iceland where he remained until February last year.

In his new role Ross will work with the organisation's managing director, Patricia Foreman, to provide a "more integrated level of support" for the region's food and drink sector. His goal will be to make the sector more profitable and sustainable while improving its competitiveness in the global marketplace.

As well as Iceland and Tesco, Ross has previously worked for Exel Logistics, Whitbread and Birds Eye Wall's.

"I'm looking forward to working with Stuart to coordinate the delivery of the Northwest Food and Drink Strategy," said Foreman.

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