Gerry Robinson to head Allied Domecq

Gerry Robinson, the former TV boss, has turned to drink.

The ex-Granada chief executive is to replace Sir Christopher Hogg at the helm of Allied Domecq, the second biggest wines and spirits group in the world.

Mr Robinson, will supersede the outgoing chairman in March, when Mr Hogg retires.

Mr Hogg will have served six years as chairman, during which time the fortunes of Allied have been restored. He oversaw the £2.7bn disposal of its pub estate to Hugh Osmond's Punch Taverns two-and-half years ago.

The 53-year-old former chief of Granada has often said he would quit business to play golf and pursue his career as an amateur painter by the time he was 55.

But the incoming Allied boss now says he would probably continue to chair the drinks group past his 55th birthday in 2004.

Currently, Mr Robinson is a non-executive with Granada, the media group, a consultant to Compass, the contract catering giant, and the chairman of the Arts Council.

His term at the Arts Council ends in January 2004, and by that time he expects his job at Allied Domecq to be his only business post.

Mr Robinson said he admired chief executive Philip Bowman's handling of Allied, and had accepted the offer of the chairmanship because the company was in such good shape and he would be very much a non-executive.

Mr Hogg told the company's AGM that under chief Mr Bowman, and Mr Robinson, he was confident that Allied would "continue on its rejuvenated course".