4. Ted Tuppen, chief executive, Enterprise Inns
Ted Tuppen, chief executive, Enterprise Inns (3)
Why he is on the list: He is the undisputed pubco king, presiding over a tenanted kingdom of some 7,100 leased houses, the biggest company of its kind in the UK. Enterprise's top man has cut a controversial figure in the past two years, thanks to his bullish style. Years of canny buying have left Enterprise with a high quality pub estate — it has 1,200 pubs worth more than a million pounds. And he argues that Enterprise has been at the forefront of moves to evolve the tenanted pub company business model. The company has faced undreamt of structural challenges in the past 18 months — and has had to respond with all manner of fresh support initiatives. Nevertheless, at times, Enterprise's public relations have been a little less than brilliant.
What the past year has held: Enterprise has been in selling mode and plans to sell as many as a thousand more pubs over the next couple of years as it decides some pubs no longer fit its model. The year has seen Tuppen in the thick of it with an indignant response to the Business Innovation & Skills Committee report, which claimed bullying of tenants. He has also been at odds with the Fair Pint group. Tuppen points out that Enterprise bailed out its tenants to the tune of £20m over the year to help them counter the recession and trade downturn. This month the company confirmed it had successfully secured a new £625m debt facility from a syndicate of banks.
Challenges ahead: Tuppen sees signs of "estate stabilisation" — there are fewer tenants in need of financial help, more applicants for his pubs, lease premiums returning, fewer closed pubs and pubs let on temporary agreements. Tuppen will doubtless hope that the perceived green shoots can be nurtured into full-blown estate normalisation.
