Business Person of the Month

March 2014: Siobhán Talbot, Group managing director, Glanbia

By Business & Finance
25 March 2014
Siobhan Talbot, Glanbia

Since taking the helm at Glanbia, Siobhán Talbot has continued to drive impressive global growth for the performance nutrition and ingredients Group.

Glanbia has performed well again this year with a 12% growth in adjusted earnings per share, setting the global performance nutrition and ingredients group on course to reach its ambitious 2018 targets.

In March, Glanbia plc announced 12% growth for its results for the year end, January 4th 2014. The results showed continued growth for the firm with strong operating and financial performance delivered on a constant currency basis.

The results also highlighted total Group revenue growth of 10.5%, EBITA growth of 9.2% and adjusted earnings per share growth of 11.9%. On a reported basis, total Group revenue increased 8.0%, EBITA increased by 5.6% and adjusted earnings per share grew by 8%.

Glanbia attributed these results as being underpinned by a strong performance by Global Performance Nutrition as over 20% branded revenue growth drove a 100 basis point margin expansion and an EBITA increase of 27.9% on a constant currency basis.

Global Ingredients delivered a good performance also. On a constant currency basis, revenues increased 11.5% and EBITA increased 8.1% while margins were down by 30 basis points.

Dairy Ireland’s results declined significantly due to the performance of consumer products while Joint Ventures & Associates delivered a positive performance overall. In addition, in 2013 Glanbia announced an ongoing, organic investment programme of €112m.

Commenting on the results, Siobhán Talbot, Group managing director, said: “Glanbia had another year of double digit earnings growth in 2013 as the Group delivered a 12% increase in adjusted earnings per share. Our two global growth platforms performed well, particularly Global Performance Nutrition where strong momentum in branded revenue growth and international expansion delivered a 28% increase in profitability, on a constant currency basis.”

According to Talbot: “We expect 2014 to be another positive year for the Group. We will benefit from our ongoing organic investment programme, good prospects for Global Ingredients and Global Performance Nutrition and an expected improvement in Dairy Ireland. We are guiding 8% to 10% growth in adjusted earnings per share for the full year 2014, on a constant currency basis. Our ambition is to continue to deliver a similar annual organic growth rate through to 2018, while seeking to sustain a return on capital employed in excess of 12%.”

Since its establishment in 1997, Glanbia has evolved to become a leading global performance nutrition and ingredients Group employing more than 5,000 people across 29 countries worldwide. The company has two core growth platforms: the B2C Global Performance Nutrition segment holds the leading global sports nutrition brand family, while its B2B Global Ingredients segment includes three businesses spanning large scale cheese manufacturing to macro and micro nutritional ingredient solutions.

Since her appointment as Group managing director, Talbot has been to the fore in driving performance and growth for the firm, bringing energy, deep knowledge and commitment to her role and ensuring the Group’s smooth transition into the next phase of growth and development.

CV highlights

  • Appointed Group managing director in November 2013.
  • Previously Group finance director where her role encompassed responsibility for Group strategic planning.
  • Has been a member of the Board of Glanbia since 2009 and held a number of senior positions since she joined the Group in 1992.
  • Prior to joining the Group, she worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Dublin and Sydney.
  • Graduated from UCD with a B.Comm in 1984 and obtained a postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting in 1985.
  • Is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

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Business & Finance, in association with MERC Partners, has been rewarding excellence in business through the ‘Business Person of the Month’ award over the last number of years. These awards seek to recognise noteworthy achievements in business leadership, and particularly those that make a telling contribution to the wider business community in Ireland.