Punch Taverns announces major management re-shuffle

Punch Taverns has announced a series of structural and management changes to its leased and managed pub businesses, to take effect this summer.

The new-look Punch will be in place in time for the arrival of incoming chief executive Ian Dyson, who is leaving his role as finance director at High Street retailer Marks & Spencer to replace the departing Giles Thorley in September.

It was the imminent departure of operations director Kevin Georgel for the managing director's position with Admiral Taverns that prompted Punch to undertake a review of its leased business.

It said it had concluded it needed to streamline a number of reporting structures within the Punch Partnership operation as a result.

And with Andy Hodgson, a regional operations director, opting to leave the company Punch's four core regions would be whittled down to three, it said. The 'Turnaround' division - home to around 1,000 of the group's struggling pubs - will remain in place.

Region One, effectively covering Scotland and the North of England, will be overseen by David Wigham. Region Two - South East England and London - will be headed by Ian Ronayne, while region three, covering the Midlands and the South West, will be overseen by Giles Kendall.

Paul Pavli is to remain as head of the group's Turnaround division, Punch said today.

Punch's 'Buying Club' is to get a new director, once the recruitment process is completed and Suzy Jackson, currently Punch's lettings director, is to take on the expanded role of director of central operations and recruitment.

Changes to the leased pub business will come into effect on July 12, 2010.

Meanwhile Punch's managed pub business, Punch Pub Company, is also being restructured.

Part of the changes will see the departure of operations director Richard Carter, who joined Punch in September 2007. A new role, national operations director, is being created in the wake of Carter's departure, with a successor currently being sought.

In addition the managed pub operation is moving from its current regional emphasis towards becoming a sector-based business as part of what it calls its 'five year strategic plan'.

Four new sectors will be created:

• Premium Pub Restaurants - led by Kieran Rabbitt

• Price-led Pub Restaurants - Alan Morgan

• Neighbourhood Pubs - Graham Jones

• City & Urban - Dan Robinson

There will also be a 'new concept development area', which will be required to come up with new retail ideas for the managed operation and which will be led by Jackie Cupper.

In a statement Punch said it was creating three new roles of operations manager with responsibility for five business development managers (BDMs) each.

"To ensure that we further strengthen central support for our concepts, we have also created the new role of operations support director. We are confident that this new structure will enable us to roll out our new concepts more quickly whilst providing an increased level of support from the centre.

"We expect there to be minimal impact on the business as these changes are implemented," it added.

Changes to Punch's managed pub business are due to come into effect at the end of August this year.