Fairtrade company Traidcraft has appointed international entrepreneur and philanthropist Ram Gidoomal as its new Chair.

Gidoomal is former UK Chief Executive of international food commodity company, Inlaks Group, which has supported public and charitable organisations.

He was born into a Hindu family, raised in the Sikh faith, and educated at a Muslim school in Kenya, but converted to Christianity as a young adult.

In the 1980s and 90s, he ran the successful Christmas Cracker project, which mobilised teenagers in the UK to raise money for the developing world.

Gidoomal is currently Chair of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, Chair of the South Asian Development Partnership Trust, Chair of Allia, the social profit society, and Board member of the International Justice Mission (USA).

He takes over the role of Traidcraft Chair in September, succeeding Chris Stephens, who stood down after five years on the Traidcraft Board to take up his new appointment as Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

Gidoomal said: “Traidcraft has played a pioneering role in the fair trade movement and I am honoured to have been asked to serve as its chair.

"I look forward to working with the team as it embarks on a new strategic period in the vital work of helping producer communities in the developing world flourish and prosper.”

Traidcraft Chief Executive Paul Chandler said: “We are delighted that Ram is joining us as Chair of our Board.

"He will bring many fresh insights and perspectives to bear on our mission, drawn from his wide experience in business, charity, church and government circles.

"The next few years are going to be very exciting.”