Seasoned businessman, John Stewart, has been appointed as the new chief financial officer of Manitowoc Foodservice as the company prepares for new opportunities.

Effective Nov. 9, John Stewart will be the new chief financial officer for Manitowoc Foodservice Inc.

“John is a seasoned leader with more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industries. He brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to this role,” commented Hubertus Muehlhaeuser, CEO, Manitowoc Foodservice Inc. “As Manitowoc Foodservice advances toward the planned separation from Manitowoc Cranes in early 2016, John’s expertise will be invaluable in driving improved financial performance across the business. We have a solid team in place, and we are enthusiastic about the opportunities ahead of us.”

Most recently, Stewart was executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer of Hostess Brands Inc. While at Hostess, he led the development of a turnaround plan aimed at transforming the business during its financial restructuring.

Prior to that, Stewart was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., where he helped oversee the company’s 14-month sale and spin-off process, resulting in profitable growth for the stand-alone business with a significant increase in stock valuation.

Earlier in his career, Stewart held various finance roles in North America and Europe in both the food and beverage divisions of Diageo PLC, the leading premium spirits business in the world, driving increased revenue and profit through acquisitions, restructurings and strong organic growth.

Stewart holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Glasgow and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.