Wayne was appointed to the Executive Leadership team of Nomad Foods becoming Managing Director of Birds Eye UK & Ireland Limited in January 2016. In addition to this role, in January 2020, he also took accountability for Nomads business in the Nordics becoming Chairman of Findus Sverige. Wayne also sits on the Presidents Committee of the Food and Drink Federation and is a serving Member of the Board at the British Frozen Food Federation.
Starting his career in Spillers Petfoods, he has built up over 35 years’ experience in the FMCG arena holding Senior Management positions in United Biscuits, Kerry Foods and prior to Nomad was Managing Director of Young’s Seafood – Frozen.
Hudson was attracted to Nomad by the ambition of its Founders and CEO Stefan Descheemaeker, as well as the opportunity to make his mark on a household brand that had seemingly lost its way (five years of decline with double digit sales decline in 2015).
After listening extensively to colleagues in the business, Wayne and his team began the turnaround of the Iconic Birds Eye Brand. With a new strategy in place and a laser focus on its core, driving significant quality improvements, and a full overhaul of all elements of the marketing mix), the Brand addressed its decline in 2016, achieved growth in 2017 and has accelerated growth ever since, driving not only positive momentum for the entire frozen category but significant Birds Eye Brand share gains.
In the second phase of the revised strategy, Wayne and the team set about transforming the business further with targeted M&A activity which saw the business move into new meal occasions with Goodfella’s Pizza (April 2018) and in to the Roast Dinner occasion with Aunt Bessie’s (July 2018).
At the start of 2019 all three Brands were merged in to one Birds Eye business 2019 and by applying the Nomad Growth and Operating Models to the recently acquired Brands, the Birds Eye business has delivered four years of consecutive growth and in 2020 will have doubled in size since Nomad ownership and Wayne’s leadership.
