Greene King boss outlines managed plans
Greene King's new-look managed pub business is designed to focus the appeal of its pubs and create what chief executive Rooney Anand says is a flatter, leaner structure across the division.
Speaking to publican.com, Anand said the decision to split the business into a community-focused Local Pubs arm and a premium-end Destination Pubs business was about responding to the changes in the market place and the evolution of the offer to customers.
"Our managed pub organisation was formed 10 years ago when we were a smaller player in this area. With the changes in the market and the acquisitions we've made since then we felt something had to give."
"It's about getting better lines of business between the different types of pub. We want to better fit the offer to the local need," he added.
The alterations to the business have witnessed the departure of managing director Mark Angela, which Anand said was amicable.
"Mark has done a great job over the last three years and he was part of the team that came to the conclusion that splitting the division along these lines was the best way forward," he said.
His departure was inevitable, however, since the group did not want those running the businesses reporting to an executive who would then report into Anand.
"The Local Pubs business will go back to our classic, local roots," said Anand. "The people running these venues will bear the Greene King hallmarks of autonomy, flexibility and entrepreneurialism."
Local Pubs will be led by ex-Sainsbury's retail operations director Jonathan Lawson, who is "first and foremost an operator who has a maverick edge and lots of local flair", says Anand.
"When he was running the Sainsbury's Convenience business he was out in the field all the time. Plus he has long operator experience, having started out as an Asda store manager before moving to Marks & Spencer."
The Destination Pubs will be headed by former Hardys & Hansons' managing director Jonathan Webster, "who brings huge talent to the organisation". These pubs will be more centrally-controlled and organised, Anand added.
"There will be a focus on branding and concept development," he said, with new ideas being introduced as well as existing brands, such as Hungry Horse, remaining on track.
Webster left the employ of Greene King in January this year, but discussions with the brewer have been ongoing and "fluid", said Anand.
He added the marketing of the group's managed pubs would be reviewed in the coming months as the respective managing directors bedded in.
The group's policy of removing heritage pub signs and replacing them with generic Greene King ones has come in for criticism in recent months.
