Brakspear in board shake-up

Family-run pubco Brakspear is to overhaul its board to coincide with the retirement of its chief executive Don Bridgman who leaves in September.

His replacement as chief executive of the 145-strong tenanted pub business will be Tom Davies, current commercial director, who will also take immediate responsibility for the operations and property management functions.

This additional responsibility is a result of property director Tony Verey retiring from the board this month. His departure follows that of finance director and company secretary Jim Hill who is leaving the business with immediate effect.

Michael Davies, chairman of Brakspear, said: "We value greatly the contributions made by our departing colleagues. Their hard work and commitment to the business over several decades has helped to put Brakspear in a very strong position to achieve further growth, despite the challenges that all pub operators continue to face."

Verey will work on for a further year overseeing the company's property development programme and then provide part-time consultancy services to the pubco.

Brakspear is also strengthening its new-look board with the appointment in May of Martin Challis, former managing director of J T Davies & Sons Limited.