France-based Biscuit International has a new CEO in the shape of Leon Taviansky.
He takes over at the Paris-headquartered manufacturer of private-label biscuits from Giampaolo Schiratti who is exiting after six years with the company.
Taviansky was most recently CEO of Global Media & Entertainment’s outdoor Global Outdoor. Prior to that, he served as CFO of Contego Packaging Group , a provider of containers and other packaging for the food, beverage and healthcare sectors. Global Outdoor’s predecessor, Exterion Media, and Contego were both Platinum Equity portfolio companies. Platinum has owned Biscuit International since 2020.
Biscuit International has been actively pursuing a pan-European consolidation strategy of the private-label biscuit market to become one of the largest players in the region.
Following the founding merger between Groupe Poult and Banketgroep in 2016, the company has made acquisitions in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal. Its most recent move was for Continental Bakeries, bought in 2021 and which had 13 factories in western Europe. During Schiratti’s tenure as CEO, Biscuit International completed eight acquisitions.
The company now has more than 30 production facilities and partners with many of the largest retailers in Europe. It employs more than 4,500 staff and has annual sales above EUR1bn (US$1.05bn). More than 80% of its business is outside of France.
On the new man’s appointment Daniel Madden, a managing director at Platinum Equity said: “Leon is an experienced CEO who has delivered outstanding results in both private and public company settings. We have worked with him for many years and know him to be an exceptional leader, coach and mentor. He empowers divisional management teams and has extensive experience integrating companies that have grown through acquisitions.”
Taviansky, who takes up the role at the start of next year, said: “The company has an impressive footprint, a diversified and growing portfolio and talented employees throughout the organisation who I am looking forward to working with.”
