Painter (pictured) has spent the past 25 years working in insights for PepsiCo, most recently as head of insights and analytics for the Asia Pacific region. His previous assignments include posts with responsibility for China, India, Australasia, and the UK and Ireland, alongside serving as a member of PepsiCo’s global insights leadership team.

He has also worked for Cadbury and Kantar Millward Brown earlier in this career.

Painter will lead pladis’ focus on growth, accountable for building the talent, skills and technology needed to identify growth opportunities and turn insights into initiatives.

Formed in 2016, pladis owns McVitie’s, Ulker, Godiva, Jacob’s, go ahead!, Carr’s and BN among other brands. It has a 17,000-strong global workforce across 25 factories in 11 countries.

Pladis’ chief executive officer Salman Amin said: “Geoff is a respected and proven, results-driven executive with 25 years of global consumer products experience across insights and analytics, strategic planning, innovation and brand building.

“He brings a rare combination of functional and commercial expertise honed through diverse international market and cultural exposure, including in both developed and emerging markets.”

Painter added: “I am thrilled to be joining pladis as we move into a new decade with a strong and diverse portfolio of best-loved brands. It is more important than ever to recognise that everything starts with the consumer and to place this understanding at the heart of everything we do.”