Paul Godfrey returns to Hobart

Paul Godfrey returns to Hobart

Hobart UK Equipment Division has appointed Paul Godfrey as Head of Cooking, a decade after he left the business.

Godfrey has returned to help accelerate Hobart's cooking strategy, with a remit encompassing the entire range of cooking innovations.

Godfrey originally joined Hobart UK in 1999 and spent 17 years with the company, rising from Business Development Manager through to Catering Specialist, National Account Manager and National Sales Manager for Cooking, eventually moving to Product Manager and Head of Sales for the Cooking division.

Since leaving in 2016 he has held a string of senior commercial roles across the foodservice equipment sector, including director positions at Lainox UK and Socamel UK, and seven years at Lincat Group, part of Middleby, first as Export Manager and then as Group Sales & Marketing Director.

Most recently he served as Vice President of Sales at HOUNÖ, the Danish combi oven manufacturer also owned by Middleby, where he led global sales strategy and drove international expansion.

In his new role, Godfrey will lead the growth of the Equipment Division’s cooking business, building on the strong momentum created by recent product launches including the Chef’s Combi, alongside the established and iconic High Speed Steamer and a range of innovative horizontal cooking solutions, with further new products due to launch over the coming months.

Alongside its expanding product portfolio, the Division has continued to strengthen its position within the market through partnerships with leading industry associations, endorsements from high profile chefs and the expertise of Hobart’s in-house Chef Brigade, whose combined experience provides valuable support to customers across the UK.

On the new appointment, Godfrey said: “I’m thrilled to be returning to the place I called home for 17 pivotal years of my working life – Hobart’s impressive cooking offer, and the teams that make it all happen were the real draws for me. When I spoke to Scott [Duncan, Hobart UK Equipment MD] about the role, we were aligned on the shared goal to take a division already in the ascendancy to the next level – that’s my remit and one I take on with great enthusiasm and excitement for the future.”

Duncan added: “Paul is very well known in the industry and a seasoned pro with real vision and expertise. He comes back into the Hobart fold with so much knowledge and experience – it’s going to be invaluable for what we want to achieve here. The foundations have been laid for us to accelerate our cooking offer; I’m confident we have the right team, the right relationships, the winning attitude and a product lineup, both existing and in the pipeline, to drive growth and succeed.”

Godfrey’s appointment is the first of two new personnel changes to Hobart’s senior team, with an exciting second announcement set to be made in late summer.