Wall has been managing director at Admiral Taverns’ wet-led community arm, Proper Pubs, for 10 months, but pubs weren’t always on his agenda, he tells The Morning Advertiser (The MA).
After graduating from Swansea University in 1987, he started working in a French restaurant, where he wryly recalls the chef throwing knives at him as he learned the ropes.
Soon after, he joined fast-food chain Burger King, where he spent a decade working his way through the ranks to area manager.
The managing director then moved to JD Wetherspoon (JDW) in 1997, a time he describes as the company’s “fastest period of growth”.
Wall advanced from area manger to operations director at JDW, but after 10 years in QSR, he was inducted into the world of pubs with another unconventional lesson.
“When I moved from Burger King to JDW, I realised I knew nothing about pubs. I was turning up at 8am for meetings, which is normal in QSR, but that’s not how pub life works.
“I remember standing outside the College Arms in Peterborough in 1997, banging on the door at 8am. The manager eventually came down in his pyjamas, and it was clear I’d made a huge mistake. I told him to go back to bed and I’d catch him later”, he reflects.
“He later said he couldn’t believe the business hired people like me who knew nothing about pubs. He was absolutely right. I spent six weeks working every shift with him to learn how to run a pub - and he’s now a regional operations director.
Proudest moments
“I did every job in the pub, in the cellar, behind the bar, learned how to run a pub, and then brought in my retailing skills.”
After almost 11 years with JDW, Wall transferred to SSP Limited before returning to the sector as a divisional director for Enterprise Inns in 2013.
Not one to dwell on regrets, Wall instead takes every opportunity to learn, adding the best leaders are the ones that understand what it is like “on the ground”.
Though he explains the responsibility of being at the top can often weigh heavily.
“The decisions I make affect people’s livelihoods. It’s not just a balance sheet.
“There are lots of mistakes. You learn and get better from those things. [But] it’s tough when things don’t go to plan and it affects people. In this industry, you feel that responsibility personally”, he says.
“Those moments shape how you lead. I always say to operators they are the most important person in this relationship. Proper pubs is only as good as its weakest operator. My job is to help create an environment in which they can thrive.”
For Wall, everything comes back to people, which he says is the one constant no matter what role you are in, noting his career highlights have all been shaped by helping others succeed.
“It doesn’t matter what you do or what role you’re in, this is a people business. As soon as you forget it, you’re headed for problems”, he continues.
“The proudest moments are seeing people I’ve worked with now in senior leadership roles.
“Being an excellent leader means listening to your team, agreeing to go on a journey together.”
Proper Pubs managing director Nathan Wall
“Seeing someone take on a pub and build it into the heart of the community stays with you. That’s what I really enjoy about Proper Pubs.”
Wall’s zest for all things pubs and people also extends to his personal life. The managing director says he can often be found doing research in his own time by asking local business owners what they think of a pub when Admiral is considering taking it on.
“You learn more from real conversations”, he says. “One of my favourite things to do is speak to people in hairdressers, for example, and ask them where the best pubs are. I’m a bit of a pub geek, even in my personal life.
“But you’ve got to enjoy this. I enjoy being out at night and weekends and spending time in our pubs. The buzz of hospitality is something that’s within you.”
Though he feels the best insights come from those at the helm of Proper Pubs’ venues, adding the importance of listening cannot be underestimated.
“Being an excellent leader means listening to your team, agreeing to go on a journey together, and creating a sense of direction they can follow”, he continues.
“When I joined Proper Pubs, a lot of people were looking at me asking, ‘what are you going to change?’ My start point was: I’m not going to change anything initially.
“I have 232 sites under my remit now, and I couldn’t achieve anything without the incredible team of operations directors, BDMs, and the support teams.”
People first
He adds working in-venue as often as possible is also important to breaking down hierarchal barriers, and is something he would advise those looking to reach the c-suite in hospitality to do.
“Get as close to the customer as you can and as early as you can”, he says.
“Jim Adamson, the CEO of Burger King, would put on a staff uniform and work in restaurants. When I saw that as a young manager, I thought ‘I must copy that’. I’ve done it ever since.”
Going back to his youth, Wall spent much of his adolescence in Zambia, as well as Iran, and reflects on current global tensions, particularly the conflict in the Middle East.
“I didn’t really spend any time in the UK until I was nine because of my father’s working arrangements, travelling all over the world,” he recalls.
“My father, who was an engineer, spent 25 years in the Middle East, and I lived in Iran until the age of 13, where I was evacuated as the Shah’s regime ended. It’s all quite prescient at the moment. It’s like watching things being replayed.”
Wall also describes himself as an avid rugby fan, arguing much like referees business leaders must remain consistent, clear and humble, which are traits he finds just as valuable in his personal life.
“My wife and I have been married for 36 years. She knew me when I was a restaurant manager, so she understands hospitality is not a nine‑to‑five job.
“I’ve got four kids, they’re all grown up now, but if I’m not focused on Mrs Wall, she’ll definitely let me know,” he quips.
Looking ahead, it is clear Wall remains guided by a simple principle: put people first.
And with hundreds of community sites under his wing, it’s a philosophy he’s determined to keep at the heart of Proper Pubs’ next chapter.
