JD Wetherspoon (JDW) personnel and retail audit director James Ullman and Heineken on-trade director Will Rice have joined the team, bringing four decades of experience in the industry between them.
Rice was appointed as Heineken on-trade director in September last year and has a “deep understanding” of commercial leadership while Ullman has been in the industry for more than 30 years and brings “specific insights” into managed pub operations, Cask Marque said.
The beer quality accreditation organisation added the new appointments reflected its “commitment to strengthening its leadership and driving future growth”.
Pivotal role
Cask Marque chairman Francis Patton said: “We are thrilled to welcome both James and Will to our Board.
“Their leadership experience, combined with their passion for quality and innovation, will play a pivotal role in helping us achieve our ambitious goals to improve the quality and the customer experience in pubs and continue to support the UK’s beer industry.”
Cask Marque was formed in 1998 and is a not for profit organisation that aims to improve the customer experience in the on trade in relation to beer by raising standards of quality and presentation.
Beer quality
The organisation offers an accreditation scheme for the quality of beer in pubs and checks beer quality at the brewery gate (Salsa + Beer), in the supply chain (Distributor charter) and star rating cellars. Nearly 7000 pubs currently hold the Cask Marque award for beer quality.
Other members of the board include founder Paul Nunny, a chartered accountant and former sales and marketing director for Adnams, Greene King’s brewing and brands managing director Matt Starbuck and former commercial director at Stonegate Suzanne Baker.
Former Carlsberg board director Darran Britton, Titanic Brewery’s Keith Bott, St Austell COO Andrew Turner and Molson Coors' director of on-trade Martyn Cozens also sit on the board.
