Premier Foods chairman Hamill to retire

(Reuters) - Premier Foods Plc said Chairman Keith Hamill would retire from his role in July, leaving the two top positions at the British company to be filled on a permanent basis.

The company said it began a search to find a successor to Hamill, 66, who would retire at the company's annual meeting after less than two years in the job.

Premier Foods, which makes Oxo cubes and Mr Kipling cakes, is already seeking a permanent new chief executive after Gavin Darby left in January. Chief Financial Officer Alastair Murray is acting CEO.

Premier Foods is in the middle of a review to shore up value after coming under pressure from top investors.

There were media reports last week that the company was looking to sell its Mr Kipling cakes brand as a part of this review. The company had declined to comment on the reports.

It already tried to sell its Ambrosia rice pudding and custards brand, but scrapped the plan in February, citing a tough business climate to do a deal.

Hamill has been a familiar figure on company boards over the years and is currently a non‐executive director of Samsonite International S.A. and chairman of Horsforth Holdings Ltd, a private investment company.

Previously, he was the chairman of Travelodge, Tullet Prebon, Moss Bros Group Plc, Collins Stewart and Heath Lambert and served as a non-executive director of easyJet plc.

Hamill was also a partner at PwC and was the finance director of Forte and WH Smith earlier in his career.

(Reporting by Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Editing by Keith Weir)