Duccio Baldi - Chief Executive
An economics graduate from Leicester University in 1987, Duccio Baldi joined Unilever working in its foods division in London, gaining significant commercial experience working on well-known British brands such as PG Tips and OXO.
In 1991 he joined Whitworths Ltd, the UK’s leading branded manufacturer of home baking products and ingredients.
Duccio entered the health and beauty industry in 1996, joining Smith and Nephew Consumer Products to manage brands such as Elastoplast, Lil-lets, Nivea and Simple. He was part of the management team in June 2000, when the Simple and Lil-lets brands were acquired to form Accantia Health and Beauty Ltd, backed by the venture capitalists ABN Amro.
Following the secondary buy-out in November 2003, backed by Duke Street Capital, Duccio remained with the business as Commercial Director.
In December 2006, Duccio led an MBO to become Chief Executive of the Lil-lets Group of companies in the UK and South Africa. He remains actively involved within the industry and is currently the Chairman of the UK Health and Beauty Association.
Duccio is married with three children and outside of work enjoys rugby union as a qualified referee.
Simon Pinks ACA - Finance Director
Simon Pinks qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1980 while working at Edward Moore and Sons, London. After a two year posting to Cape Town, Simon joined Cargill Incorporated. Working in both the coffee and poultry divisions in both Europe and the USA, Simon gained FMCG experience.
In 2000, Simon set up his own business providing interim management services, which included work with H J Heinz, rationalisation of European Frozen and Chilled Businesses and contracts at Accantia Health and Beauty Ltd. Initially as a consultant after the first buy-out from Smith and Nephew in 2000, and latterly following the secondary buy-out by Duke Street Capital, Simon became the Group Financial Controller.
In December 2006 Simon assisted Duccio Baldi in the successful MBO, as Finance Director of the Lil-lets Group.
Simon is married wih two children and enjoys the occasional round of golf.
Chris Dobson - Director of Quality Assurance and NPD
After graduating with a degree in economics from Hull University in 1980, Chris joined Smith and Nephew as a graduate trainee in the medical division, gaining valuable experience working within manufacturing across a number of key healthcare product categories and with well-known consumer brands such as Elastoplast and Nivea.
In 1995 he transferred to Smith and Nephew’s Consumer Products division, where he was responsible for the management of the stand alone operational site in Corby which manufactured the Simple brand of toiletries.
Chris was part of the original, successful buy out to form Accantia. After the secondary, Chris was given overall operational responsibility for UK manufacturing, including all aspects of quality and new product development.
In December 2006 Chris was part of the MBO team, which established Lil-lets Group Limited. As Director of Quality Assurance and New Product Development, Chris is remains responsible for all aspects of Quality and NPD at the various outsourced manufacturing sites around the world.
He is a keen football supporter, ornithologist and is married with two children.
John Peat - Sales Director
John started his working life as a professional footballer with Birmingham City F.C. before progressing through the commercial ranks of British Sugar plc.
He then spent a further five years with Diary Crest (Clover Spreads, Frijj Milkshakes, Cathedral City Cheddar) in varying commercial roles including Dairies Division Sales Director. He followed this with a successful turnaround role as Business Unit Director for four years with MD Foods (now Arla Foods) owners of well known brands such as Lurpak and Cravendale Milk. In January 2000 John transferred his skill sets into the non-foods arena as Sales Director with SCA UK Consumer Division, responsible for Tissue (Velvet and Charmin) and Feminine Care (Bodyform and Tena). He led the organisation through a period of stellar sales growth and profit improvement.
In May 2009 he joined Lil-lets UK Ltd as Sales Director.
In addition to working with household brand names, John has a wealth of experience in managing major private label contracts in both the food and non-food sectors of FMCG Grocery in the UK.
With a passion for cricket he also plays a consistently poor but enthusiastic game of golf and is a keen follower of horse racing in his limited spare time.
Kevin Jurgens - General Manager - South Africa
Kevin graduated from the University of Natal with an Honours Degree in Science, and subsequently studied and completed his MBA in Durban. Joining Unilever, South Africa in 1987 he held positions in product development, marketing and sales, before taking up a position with Kraft Jacobs Suchard in regional management.
There later followed a position as Marketing Category Director at National Brands after which in 2000 he joined SodaStream in a senior capacity, where he was tasked with turning around and managing the South African business. Relocating to Australia in 2003 to establish a new SodaStream subsidiary in this market, he successfully led the company operations in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa from a Melbourne base.
Kevin joined Lil-lets early in 2009 as General Manager of the Group’s South African subsidiary, returning to familiar territory in Durban, where he was educated and had worked previously for many years.
Married with two children, Kevin enjoys a variety of sport, often as a spectator, sometimes as a participant.
Martin Frost - Non-Executive Chairman
On leaving university in 1975, Martin started his business career in Marketing with Lever Brothers (Unilever) where, as a Senior Product Group Manager, he was responsible for the marketing of leading toiletry and household cleaning brands.
In 1982 he joined PepsiCo International where he moved from Marketing to general management, responsible for the UK, Ireland and French markets and latterly for Middle East Gulf markets.
He joined Seagram in 1989 progressing to the Executive Global Board with responsibility for strategic planning and business development. He was appointed President and CEO of Seagram Europe Middle East and Africa in 1995. He resigned in 1999 when the company moved all its operations to the US and left to set up his own business.
Martin is also CEO of GX-Laboratories, a bio-technology company, and holds several directorships with PLC and private companies.
Married with two children, another rugby fan, he also enjoys fine wine, theatre and the opera.