Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based VP’ operating in the Manufacturing space. If you think a VP’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Arjun Purkayastha
Senior Vice President – eCommerce, Digital & Ventures of Reckitt
Arjun Purkayastha is a purpose driven leader with extensive global experience managing diverse businesses and multi-cultural teams at FTSE Top 10 and Fortune 100 companies – RB and P&G. He has a strong track record of building outperforming teams, iconic brands & innovative business models across 60+ countries having lived & worked in the UK, Singapore, South Korea and India. He currently leads eCommerce, CRM, digital, DNVB & start up ventures globally for RB with P&L, strategic and operational responsibility of all online channels & customers. He serves on the Board of Directors of 4 high growth, online focused companies – Pharmapacks.com (one of the largest and best 3P resellers on Amazon), Bombay Shaving Company (leading men’s wellness company in India), UpSpring (mom & baby products) and Healthily by Your.MD (AI powered self care). He is also an Investment Committee Member of Founders Factory & RB’s JV focused on Hygiene & Home start ups.
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About Reckitt: Reckitt Benckiser Group is a consumer goods company makes health, hygiene and home products.
Mark Cooper
Vice President and Managing Director, Avery Europe and Asia Pacific of CCL Industries
Mark Cooper is a Vice President and Managing Director, Avery Europe and Asia Pacific at CCL Industries.
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About Avery, CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Jamie Robinson
Vice President and Managing Director, Home & Personal Care Europe of CCL Industries
Jamie Robinson is a Vice President and Managing Director, Home & Personal Care Europe at CCL Industries.
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About CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Alex Owens
VP, Global Head of Data & Analytics of Unilever
Alex is currently CMI Vice President, Global Head of People Data Centres, AI & Data Governance at Unilever based in London. Prior to joining Unilever, he was Head of Insight & Analytics at Sainsbury’s and had joint accountability for the Nectar relationship. Previous to this, Alex had numerous Insight/Strategy and Analytics roles in Banking and Media. He started his career over 20 years ago at Millward Brown as Research Manager working across a range of large international FMCG clients e.g. Guinness Africa. After Millward Brown, Alex moved to the BBC where he formed part of the team that developed BBCi Player back in 2000 before moving to support the launch of Freeview. He then moved to BskyB during James Murdoch’s first reign before spending 5 years in banking, first with Capital One and then as Head of Strategy at Lloyds Banking Group. Alex earned a first class honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business & Economics from Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordons University.
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About Unilever: Unilever produces and supplies fast-moving consumer goods in food, home, and personal care product categories worldwide.
Patrick Hull
VP Future of Work of Unilever
Patrick Hull serves as the VP of Future of Work at Unilever.
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About Unilever: Unilever produces and supplies fast-moving consumer goods in food, home, and personal care product categories worldwide.
Bobby Ford
Vice President/Global CISO of Unilever
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About Unilever: Unilever produces and supplies fast-moving consumer goods in food, home, and personal care product categories worldwide.
Sarah Mansfield
VP Global Media Europe & Americas of Unilever
Sarah Mansfield has started at Unilever in June 2012. She is responsible for the European, North and South America Media Function supporting the local markets in best in class media plans and capabilities. Previously Sarah led Marketing Services for Unilever’s UK & Ireland business covering media and communications planning and implementation, digital best practice and brand PR. Prior to this Sarah held various roles at Barclays Bank PLC, the most recent as Global Head of Communications and Media at Barclaycard and previously as Head of Innovation Marketing responsible for launching new propositions such as contactless payments, mobile payments to the UK. Sarah has extensive media, communications and digital marketing experience across a number of industry sectors having also worked at various integrated agencies in account management and planning roles. Sarah studied in Sheffield and has a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and Marketing. In her spare time she enjoys running as well as music, playing the violin in a local orchestra.
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About Unilever: Unilever produces and supplies fast-moving consumer goods in food, home, and personal care product categories worldwide.
Nicky Clement
Vice President HR, Organisation Effectiveness & People Analytics of Unilever
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About Unilever: Unilever produces and supplies fast-moving consumer goods in food, home, and personal care product categories worldwide.
Britta Bomhard
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of Church & Dwight, Co
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About Church & Dwight, Co: Church & Dwight Co., Inc. develops, manufactures and markets a range of household, personal care and specialty products.
Bo Ekberg
SVP International of NJOY
Bo Ekberg joined NJOY in early 2013 leading NJOY’s international expansion outside the US, having previously worked as a start-up entrepreneur in London. Prior to this Bo accumulated 20 years of international FMCG business experience in both Western and Central Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia and Russia holding various senior Sales, Marketing and General Management positions during this time. Following service in the Danish Royal Life Guards, Bo earned his Masters in Economics and Political Science from the University of Copenhagen and his Executive MBA from INSEAD in France. A native of Denmark, Bo is married with two children and resides permanently in London, England.
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About NJOY: NJOY is a distributor and manufacturer of e-cigarettes and vaping products for dult smokers and vapers.
Ian Wilson
Executive Vice President – Strategy & Development of Amcor
Ian Wilson is an Executive Vice President – Strategy and Development at Amcor.
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About Amcor, Control Risks, The Cheltenham Ladies’ College: Amcor is a provider of packaging solutions in Australia, Western Europe, North America.
Dwight Smith
Sr VP Finance & Administration of NextGen Security
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About NextGen Security: NextGen Security provides integrated physical and electronic solutions for regulated entities and facilities in key vertical markets.
Dwight Smith
Sr VP Finance & Administration of NextGen Security
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About NextGen Security: NextGen Security provides integrated physical and electronic solutions for regulated entities and facilities in key vertical markets.
Hubert Patricot
Executive Vice President and President, European Group of Coca-Cola Enterprises
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About Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: Coca-Cola Enterprises is a marketer, producer, and distributor of non-alcoholic drinks.
Stephen Moorhouse
Vice President, General Manager – Northern Europe of Coca-Cola Enterprises
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About Coca-Cola Enterprises: Coca-Cola Enterprises is a marketer, producer, and distributor of non-alcoholic drinks.
Scott Bourgeois
Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer & Group Controller of Coca-Cola Enterprises
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About Coca-Cola Enterprises: Coca-Cola Enterprises is a marketer, producer, and distributor of non-alcoholic drinks.
Nik Jhangiani
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Coca-Cola Enterprises
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About Coca-Cola Enterprises: Coca-Cola Enterprises is a marketer, producer, and distributor of non-alcoholic drinks.
Leendert Den Hollander
Vice President and General Manager of Coca-Cola Enterprises
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About Coca-Cola Enterprises: Coca-Cola Enterprises is a marketer, producer, and distributor of non-alcoholic drinks.
Eric Reynolds
Senior Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer of The Clorox Company
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About The Clorox Company: The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products.
John Higson
Executive Vice President, Europe, Middle East & Africa and Latin America of Avon Products
John Higson is Executive Vice President of Avon’s Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) and Latin America (LATAM) regions. He has been responsible for end-to-end operations across EMEA since 2012, and assumed leadership of LATAM in January 2016. Mr. Higson is also a member of the Executive Committee. From 2014 through 2015, Mr. Higson served as Head of Global Field Operations, providing assessment and advisory support to the sales teams in Avon’s top 12 markets. Prior to this role, Mr. Higson was Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Operations. Before that, he was Senior Vice President of Global Direct Selling and Business Model Innovation, with responsibility for leading and developing Avon’s initiatives and strategies for its direct-selling channel. Mr. Higson has also served as: Senior Vice President, Central & Eastern Europe; General Manager, Avon Poland; Head of Global Sales Development; and General Manager, Avon Hungary. Mr. Higson joined Avon U.K. in 1985 as a management Associate. He went on to hold the positions of Division Manager, Sales Planner and Regional Director before his appointment as General Manager, Avon Hungary in 1993. Mr. Higson studied Economics and Public Policy at the University of Leeds.
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About Avon Products: Avon Products, Inc. (Avon) is a manufacturer and marketer of beauty and related products.
Andrew Lonergan
VP Sales and Marketing of Aspect Imaging
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About Aspect Imaging: World leader in the design and manufacture of compact, high-performance MRI & NMR systems offering Complete Point-of-Care MRI systems
Mike Kershaw
SVP of Sales & Marketing of Renegade Tool Company
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About Renegade Tool Company: Renegade Tool Company
Colin Hutchison
Vice President of International of Edgewell Personal Care
Colin joined Energizer in 2004 as Vice President Europe for Wilkinson Sword. In 2006 he led the successful integration of the Personal Care and Household Divisions in Europe. After the Playtex acquisition, he became Vice President for Personal Care in Europe and led planning for the distribution expansion of Hawaiian Tropic and the Hydro brand launch. After the American Safety Razor acquisition, Colin was appointed Vice President and General Manager for EPC’s Private Brands Group. Overseeing strategic development for the global private label wet shave business, he reshaped the portfolio and developed a roadmap for growth through NPD and distribution expansion. Additionally, he led the integration of most functions into the wider Personal Care business structures. Prior to Edgewell, Colin worked for a number of consumer goods businesses based in Europe including United Biscuits and the Campbell’s Soup Company. He held various positions in sales, marketing, and general management that latterly included international responsibilities.
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About Edgewell Personal Care, Energizer Holdings: Edgewell Personal Care manufactures and markets a diversified range of personal care products.
Giles Snare
Vice President , Sales Developed Markets of Beckman Coulter
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About Beckman Coulter: Beckman Coulter develops, manufactures and markets products that simplify & automate biomedical testing for lab professionals.
Kurt Kelln
EVP of Sales and Marketing, CBO of SuperSonic Imagine
Kurt Kelln has lived and worked in the USA, Germany and the UK and has an extensive knowledge of the International Healthcare Markets. In addition, Mr. Kelln possesses a wealth of experience in the field of ultrasound imaging, a domain he has worked in for more than 25 years. Prior to joining SuperSonic Imagine in April 2012, Mr. Kelln served as Vice President of Ultrasound and Women’s Healthcare at Philips Healthcare where he implemented successful sales and marketing strategies for mature and growth markets. He was responsible for leading one of the largest and most successful sales and marketing teams in the industry. Before Philips, Mr. Kelln spent 11 years with ATL Ultrasound in various strategic leadership positions in Operations, Administration, Sales and Marketing. He has vast experience in business strategy, sales and marketing leadership, and general management.
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About SuperSonic Imagine: SuperSonic Imagine develops and manufactures ultrasound medical imaging systems for evaluating and visualizing tissue elasticity.
Amanda Groty
SVP / GM WW Marketing Communications of Nissan Motor Corporation
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About Nissan Motor Corporation: Nissan Motor Corporation is a Japanese automobile maufacturer.
Julian Hughes
Senior Vice President, US of Intelligent Energy
Julian is based out of our San Francisco Bay Area office and heads up the Group’s Commercial activity as well as US operations. Prior to joining Intelligent Energy, Julian held senior positions within the automotive industry at General Motors (Vauxhall) and TWR Group (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) which then led into the Cleantech sector with Microgen Engine Corporation where he held the position of CEO. Microgen developed and manufactured Stirling engines for the CHP, Military and Solar markets. In addition to his role as Group Corporate Development Director, Julian is also a Non-Executive Board Member for IECHP Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Intelligent Energy.
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About Intelligent Energy: Intelligent Energy is a clean power systems company offering fuel cell and hydrogen generation technologies.
Shaun Bunn
Senior VP Project Delivery of Hummingbird Resources
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About Hummingbird Resources: Hummingbird Resources is a West African gold explorer and developer platform.
Ramchander S.
Vice President of Global Marketing of Castrol
Ramchander A.S. is a Vice President of Global Marketing at Castrol.
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About Castrol: Castrol is a worldwide leader in high performance lubricants for the automotive, industrial, marine and aerospace industries.
Brad Bailey
Vice President of Sales of Ivy Sports Medicine
Brad Bailey, Vice President of Sales brings over 19 years of experience in the medical device industry with a focus in Sales management and Marketing. He has extensive experience in building teams to execute sucessful product launches and realize sustained sales growth. Mr. Bailey has worked in and run sales organizations focusing in Sports Medicine, he was Director of Sales of the Sports Tissue and Biologics Division at ConMed Corportation. He has also held leadership positions with the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF), DePuy Spine and Spar Medical. Mr. Bailey graduated from Birmingham Southern College in 1993 with a B.S. in Management.
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About Ivy Sports Medicine: Ivy Sports Medicine is a young, dynamic company with extensive expertise in the development and production of meniscus implants.
