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Patrick Coveney, currently chief financial officer of Greencore, will succeed Dilger as chief executive from that date. Dilger has been the group’s chief executive since 1995.

Coveney, 37, joined Greencore (LSE:GNC) in 2005 as chief financial officer and was appointed to the board in September of that year. The group said that he had played a central role in the development of Greencore’s strategy and business over the past two years across all business segments and functions. 

He has overseen the financial planning and management of the business and has presided over the significant recent strengthening of the group’s balance sheet and financial position. 

Coveney was previously managing partner of McKinsey Ireland. During his time with McKinsey, he gained extensive knowledge and experience in European consumer food, food service and retail markets developing and executing strategies for a number of international food and drink clients.

Greencore’s latest results, for the year ended 28 September 2007, revealed group operating profit up 22 per cent to €91 million and profit before tax up 32 per cent to €75.1 million.

The group said it was experiencing a difficult second half of the year which would impact on the performance of its convenience foods business.

It reported turnover growth of 4 per cent to €933.1 million with a 1 per cent decline in the second half of the year. Operating profit declined by 7 per cent to €64.4 million, with a 16 per cent decline in the second half of the year. Greencore said that this was primarily due to the impact of unseasonal summer weather.

Strong raw material cost inflation in the final quarter was expected to contribute to an 8 per cent to 10 per cent increase the division's 'cost of goods'. The group said that, despite this impact, it was confident that the combination of strong operational performance, necessary sales pricing improvements, tight cost management and the delivery of key new commercial initiatives would enable it to deliver good growth in 2008.

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• Greencore Group plc