Revolution Bars Group champions women with new senior appointments

Alex McMillan has joined the executive team as brand operations director for a subset of the group, Revolución de Cuba, and Maria Hamilton has been appointed as head of growth and digital for the company. This makes the team 63% female and 37% male, a significant shift from three years ago when it was 75% male and 25% female. 

McMillan’s background in hospitality spans back 25 years, and includes operations and management roles at Mitchells & Butlers, Welcome Break, KFC and Travelodge. In her new role, she will be driving the Revolución de Cuba brand, working to develop campaigns and strategies to grow this arm of the Group’s operation and raise awareness among its target demographic. 

McMillan said she understood the need for positive female role models, especially in senior operations roles. She was “delighted” Revolución de Cuba had given her the opportunity, but also recognised she’d secured the role with the help, support and guidance of “fabulous” female leaders that had been alongside her during her personal development journey. 

Commitment to inclusivity

Hamilton, who has joined the business from Fuller’s where she led the digital marketing and consumer insight strategy, will be transforming Revolution Bar Group’s digital landscape. This will include leveraging and optimising the potential of existing and new technologies, as well as developing effective growth strategies to help take digital marketing to the next level. 

“​As a busy mother of three, I’m proud to be joining a group that’s so committed to its people and inclusivity,” Hamilton said. 

She added: “It’s inspiring to work for a group that recognises and respects individuals for who they are and, with so many inspiring female role models across the business, it’s refreshing to see it living and breathing its values.” 

Revolution Bars Group chief executive Rob Pitcher remarked that since becoming chief executive, the business has focused “really hard” on championing diversity. This has been done through improving the parental leave policy, closing the gender pay gap and supporting organisations like Women in Hospitality, Travel & Leisure.  

A bright future

Pitcher was “looking forward” to seeing how the new senior appointments would help deliver the company’s goals, and grow the business further. He said:  “As a business we know that diversity is key to our future and that we are at our best when we bring together our different life experiences, perspectives and individuality.  

“I’m incredibly proud that we’re in a female majority position on our executive team, and excited about the wealth of experience our latest hires will bring to the Revolution Bars Group family.” 

These latest appointments also outline Revolution Bars Group’s commitment to the development and expansion trail, after recently returning to profitability and posting year-on-year sales up to 1 January 2022 (£74.1m) close to pre-pandemic levels (£81.2m).