Hugh Friel
Hugh Friel
Hugh Friel is former Chief Executive Officer of Kerry Group plc and former Chairman of Tourism Ireland. Educated at St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny and University College Galway, he previously worked with Aer Lingus in New York, Mobil Oil Corp. in London and Erin Foods in Ireland. In 1972 he was appointed Financial Controller of North Kerry Milk Products Limited, the forerunner of Kerry Co-op and Kerry Group plc. He was Deputy Managing Director of Kerry Group from its flotation in 1986 until his appointment as Chief Executive on 1 January 2002. Kerry Group today is a leader in global food ingredients markets, a leading international flavour company and a leading consumer foods processing and marketing organisation in selected EU markets. In some 30 years, from the commissioning of its first manufacturing plant in Listowel, Ireland, the Kerry organisation has grown to become a highly successful public company. Kerry has established over 150 manufacturing facilities across four continents and provides over 10,000 food and ingredient products through its network of international sales and technical centres to a wide customer base in 140 countries. Kerry Group now employs some 24,000 people throughout its worldwide activities and operations.
