WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BAKERS - NEW MASTER 2025

PETER BAKER

Master 2024-2025

Worshipful Company of Bakers

Peter became Master Baker in December 2024, after serving as a Warden for eight years having deferred “his year” in 2021 due to COVID restrictions. He became a Freeman of the Company in 2003, then received his Freedom of the City in 2005 and was clothed that year.

Peter is well aware of the term “nominative determinism,” as he has spent a large part of his career in the bakery industry. Indeed on collecting his City Freedom the Clerk joked about the rarity of three cherries, his name, his company and his trade.

He has spent his career in the Food Industry as an Executive, Non-Executive Director (including Jordans Cereals) and Chair of various Boards. He was Chair for ten years of a publicly owned, listed Bakery business, Finsbury Foods plc and resigned at the end of 2023 when it was taken private. He is still an active investor in a number of small Food and Drink businesses.

He started at RHM (Ranks Hovis McDougall) as a graduate trainee and worked in many Flour Mills around the U.K. after that he ran their Milling Division, Bakery Division and the Consumer Brands division. He has been CEO or MD of Hovis Bakery, New York Bakery and Mr Kipling. He was also the majority shareholder of an Italian Bakery business which he sold to Maple Leaf Foods.

During his career he has been active with trade associations and has been President of the UK Flour Millers, Chairman of the Federation of Bakers, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Executive Committee and Food and Drink Europe.

Outside of business, Peter has been Chairman of Governors at Hampton School and a Governor for seventeen years. He is now a Trustee of the Fitzwygram Foundation, a charity which provides free places at Hampton School.

Peter’s Consort for the year is his wife Lydia, whom he met while studying Biochemistry at University. She is now a retired teacher with a great love of her garden at their home in Hampshire. They have two children who both went onto study Biochemistry. He has four grandchildren, two each, and four “step” grandchildren. He keeps fit and active, completing the London Marathon in 2019, and has a very active interest in classic cars and motorsport.

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