The Master Baker for 2024-2025 is Mr Peter Baker, who will be accompanied by his Consort, Lydia Baker.
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.
Peter looks forward to strengthening the links between the Company and Trade during his year.