News: Non-Executive Director Appointment Brings Additional Expertise, Oversight, and Advice to Chemonics UK

Following the legal formation of Chemonics Group UK Ltd on 1 January 2023, at the recent Chemonics Board meeting of 11 July 2023 in Washington, DC, Malcolm Harrison was formally appointed as Chemonics UK Non-Executive Director.  

With more than 30 years of business and managerial experience in operations, procurement, and commercial expertise, Malcolm Harrison is an international board-level executive who has worked in both the private and public sectors in industrial businesses, central government, and professional membership bodies.  

With Chemonics UK Managing Director Louise Quy and Chemonics International President Jamey Butcher, Malcolm will play a key role in driving forward the business activities and growth of Chemonics UK. 

Managing Director Louise Quy stated: “We are pleased to announce that Malcolm Harrison has been appointed as a non-executive director of Chemonics Group UK Ltd. This appointment is part of establishing our governance structure following segmentation. Malcolm is an experienced international board-level executive, a previous chief executive officer (CEO) of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, the Crown Commercial Service, and the Global Plastic Packaging Division of Rexam plc.. Malcolm also has substantial global procurement and supply chain experience from his positions as chief procurement officer of Nestlé SA and InBev SA. We look forward to leveraging Malcolm’s governance, strategic and international experience, as well as his knowledge of UK government as we deliver the growth strategy for Chemonics Group UK Ltd.” 

Malcolm Harrison commented: “l am delighted to be joining the Board of Chemonics Group UK Ltd. I am passionate about the Chemonics mission to promote meaningful change around the world to help people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives. I look forward to supporting Louise and her leadership team in the delivery of their exciting growth plans aligned to Chemonics’ mission”. 

More information about Malcolm Harrison’s experience 

Malcolm’s early career was in production, sales, procurement, supply chain, and human resources with Mars Confectionery, Pedigree Petfoods, and Bass [in 2000 sold to Interbrew, and later Anhauer-Busch InBev]. Following two years based in Cote D’Ivoire, where he led the scale-up of a multi-stakeholder development programme in the cocoa industry, Malcolm created and led global procurement for Interbrew in Belgium and was subsequently appointed chief procurement officer of InBev. In 2006, Malcolm joined Nestlé SA as chief procurement officer responsible for the largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) global procurement spend, bringing a focus to building the capability of the function, and leading a step-change in the involvement of the procurement function with the Nestlé businesses. 

In 2010 Malcolm joined the Executive Committee of Rexam plc, the FTSE 100 consumer packaging company, as CEO of the Global Plastic Packaging Division. Moving across the business in 2013 his responsibilities included the Rexam’s group IT, operational improvement, environment health & safety, and global procurement teams. [In 2016, Rexam was acquired by the Ball Corporation.] 

Moving into the public sector in 2015, Malcolm joined the Cabinet Office of UK Government as CEO of the Crown Commercial Service, overseeing an annual spend of more than £13 billion, on common goods and services across the UK public sector. He simultaneously held responsibility for UK Public Procurement Policy, and for supporting the UK government’s initiatives with small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

After three years, a move to the membership body, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), saw Malcolm take the role of CEO where is established a focussed five-year strategy and oversaw recruitment of a new leadership team. His leadership ensured relevance of the organisation to its professional sector, increasing the number of members and exams globally to record levels, together with introducing a set of values and a purpose to the organisation. He left the organisation after four and a half years, having set the organisation on a path to growth. 

Malcolm holds a Master’s degree from Cambridge University and speaks French to business level. Married with four adult children, he is based in the UK, having previously spent time in West Africa, France, Belgium, and Switzerland as part of his professional career.

For further information, contact Andrea Knowles, Chemonics UK Director of Communications & Public Affairs at aknowles@chemonics.com