Our Family Business

Jonathan Warburton has held the position of Chairman of the family business since 2001 – overseeing the company’s transition into a national brand. Beginning his career outside of Warburtons, Jonathan spent time gaining knowledge of the baking industry, as well as sales and marketing experience during his time with Unilever.

Joining Warburtons at the age of 23, he progressed from National Account Manager to Sales Director and then Marketing Director – overseeing the development of Warburtons iconic TV ad campaign featuring members of the Warburton family.

As a fifth generation Warburton, Jonathan – along with cousins Brett and Ross – assumed control of the business in 1991, following the retirement of their fathers.

In the decade that followed, Jonathan held the role of joint Managing Director and Commercial Director, laying out the three cousins’ strategy to take the family business from a Northern brand to a truly national one and setting out their vision to become Britain’s Favourite Baker.

Jonathan received an Honorary Doctorate from Manchester University in 2003.

Outside of the business, Jonathan is a keen sportsman, skiing enthusiastically and playing golf erratically! Married to Kim, they have four children, Charlotte, twins Harry and Jack, and Angus.

After attending The University of Kent at Canterbury, graduating with a degree in Economic and Social History in 1977, Brett began his working life in London at RHM Foods where he stayed for two and a half years. On leaving he joined the family firm of Warburtons Limited, initially working as the Marketing Manager at Warburtons Soreen.

From 1983, Brett attended the Harvard Business School in Boston, U.S.A., and graduated with an MBA in 1985. On returning to England he returned to Imperial Bakeries as Managing Director, where he stayed for several years before transferring to the Warburtons Bread Division as General Manager at their Pennine Bakery.

In 1991, Brett was appointed Joint Managing Director, Operations, becoming sole Managing Director from 2001 until May 2006, when he took up his current role of Executive Director.

Brett also served as Chair of Campden BRI, Europe’s largest member owned food and drink research association, for five years (2011 – 2016) and continues to sit on the Campden Board as Warburtons’ representative.

He has received honorary doctorates from the University of Kent and the University of Bolton, where he also became their first Pro Chancellor in 2015.

Brett has a busy life outside Warburtons and is an avid football fan, having always supported Bolton Wanderers Football Club. He also chaired the Lancashire Football Association and was their representative on the FA Council in London until January 2016.

Brett is married to Paula and has a daughter, Megan.

In 1980, Ross graduated from Oriel College, University of Oxford, after reading Politics, Philosophy and Economics, (PPE). He then went on to work in the City for five years as an Investment Manager for Invesco before joining the family business in 1985.

In 1991, he became Executive Chairman, where he oversaw the rapid expansion of the company. He stepped down from this position in 2001 and continues to play an active role in the family business.

Ross was President of the Food and Drink Federation, where he worked to promote the interests of the UK food manufacturing industry in conjunction with the government and other agencies. He was awarded the MBE in 2004 for services to the food industry.

Ross’s interests are firmly entrenched in the local community. As President of the Bolton Lads and Girls Club from 1999 to 2015, he encouraged the growth of the group into the largest youth club outside London.

He is also Chairman of the OnSide Foundation, a charity formed to develop a network of similar youth clubs around the North West of England. Ross has two children: Jimmy and Ellen.