Peter Morris is Thwaites MD

Daniel Thwaites, the Lancashire-based brewer and pub operator, has appointed Peter Morris as its new managing director.

Morris has joined the company from Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises (S&NPE) where he held the role of operations director.

He has also held key positions within Whitbread, including running 300 of the group's tenanted and leased pubs in the west of England and south Wales, as well as overseeing a managed house division on the south coast.

Thwaites chairman Ann Yerburgh said: "We are delighted to welcome Peter and believe that his experience and reputation within the brewing industry will help us significantly in a challenging marketplace."

Morris said: "I am very excited to be given the opportunity to lead Thwaites, a brewery renowned not only for its heritage and tradition, but also for its modern and progressive outlook. These are challenging times in the industry at large, but I feel Thwaites is well placed to look forward with confidence."