Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has appointed Drummond Hall, its senior independent non-executive director, to the position of deputy chairman with immediate effect.
Current chairman Roger Carr is to stand down once M&B completes its strategic review in May.
M&B said in a statement that "subject to the outcome of that review, it is planned that Drummond Hall will succeed Roger Carr as chairman of the company".
Hall has been an M&B non-executive director since 2004 and its senior independent director since February 2007.
He was chief executive of Dairy Crest from July 2002 until December 2006.
Prior to being appointed to the board of Dairy Crest in September 2001 he was managing director of the Beer and Cider Division of H P Bulmer. He previously held marketing roles with Procter & Gamble, Mars and Pepsi Cola.
Carr is meanwhile set to become chairman of Cadbury's confectionary business when he leaves the pubco.
It was reported at the weekend that Carr was "stepping back" from his role as an investment adviser to private equity group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), which was believed to be weighing up a bid for M&B.