Ray Silcock joined Diamond Foods as CFO

 

"We are pleased to have Ray join the Diamond team," said Brian Driscoll, President and Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Foods. "He brings us extensive food and beverage industry, financial operations and capital structure experience. We look forward to leveraging his expertise, which includes a strong track record of managing and improving finance and accounting functions, as well as improving balance sheets, as we continue to focus on the Company's strategy to drive long-term, profitable growth for our shareholders."

 

"I am delighted to be joining Diamond Foods and look forward to working with senior management and the finance and accounting teams as we seek to provide continued strong financial oversight and enhanced financial performance as the Company executes on its key initiatives, including driving margin expansion and more sustainable topline growth," said Mr. Silcock.  "I look forward to taking part in and contributing to Diamond's future."

 

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Mike Murphy for his contributions to the Company over the past sixteen months, during which Diamond has made tremendous strides," said Robert J. Zollars, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Diamond Foods. "We wish him well in his future endeavors."

 

Mr. Silcock, 62, was most recently Chief Financial Officer of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company. Prior to holding that position, Mr. Silcock served as the Chief Financial Officer of several publicly and privately-held companies in the food and beverage industry, including UST Inc., Swift & Company and Delimex Holdings. Mr. Silcock was also Chief Financial Officer of Cott Corporation for seven years, where he was instrumental in driving the restructuring and turnaround of that business. Mr. Silcock began his career with Campbell Soup Company in 1979 and spent the next eighteen years advancing through financial management roles, culminating in his promotion to Vice President, Finance for the Bakery and Confectionery Division. Mr. Silcock is a member of the Board of Directors of Pinnacle Foods Corporation. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Cost & Management Accountants (UK).

 

Source: Diamond Foods