Chester-based eco-friendly baby care brand Pura has appointed former chief executive of Nichols PLC (Vimto) as Chair of the Board.
Dr Marnie Millard OBE, who headed up Nichols PLC from 2013-2020, is a former President of the British Soft Drinks Association, Chair of the Board at Marks Electrical Group plc; UA92 (University Academy ’92), and Kidly. She is also Non-Executive Director at Belvoir Farm Ltd and at Finsbury Food Group.
Marnie – who was awarded an OBE in 2018 in recognition of her contribution to business – will take up the post immediately, working closely with Pura CEO Guy Fennell and his experienced leadership team.
The appointment of its first non-executive chair comes at a time of rapid growth for Pura, which has been disrupting the market with affordable, low impact but high-performance baby wipes and nappies since its birth in 2020.
Founded by parents Guy and Abi Fennell, Pura has quickly advanced from an online-only business to expansion into the supermarket sector, with listings in retail giants such as Asda, Tesco, Spar, Boots and Superdrug.
Welcoming Marnie to the team, Guy Fennell said: “We’re truly looking forward to the invaluable experience Marnie will bring to the table and I am delighted to welcome her to the Pura family at this extremely exciting time in our journey.”
Speaking of her appointment Marnie commented: “Pura has a great team led by a determined, talented founder.
“Sustainable, disruptive and growth businesses are where I like to work, and Pura ticks all the boxes as well as being a certified B Corp.
“Similar to my roles at UA92, Marks Electrical and Kidly, I will be supporting a disruptor in a large traditional market, with large competitors, and I am looking forward to offering support as Pura scales up.”
Pura recently received £4.25m investment from private equity firm Maven Capital Partners to help fund its expansion in the UK and beyond.
