BrewDog appoints first CEO of beer

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A Shaw thing: Andy Shaw becomes BrewDog's first CEO of beer after 14 years at Red Bull UK

Independent craft brewer and pub operator BrewDog has appointed the former managing director of Red Bull UK as its inaugural CEO of beer.

Andy Shaw, who spent 14 years in senior positions at Red Bull, will be responsible for the global sales and marketing of BrewDog’s beer in the newly created role and will provide additional senior strategic leadership as the brewer and operator enters a period of domestic and international growth.

Last year, BrewDog announced a 55% year-on-year increase in its total revenue to £78m in its half-year trading results in August, with the brewery’s bar division up by 92%.

The brewer and operator enhanced its pub stable in March 2018 with the £15m purchase of Draft House, while BrewDog's Punk IPA took the top spot in The Morning Advertiser’s list of the best-selling craft beers in the pub trade.

Company enters ‘hyperdrive’

BrewDog co-founder James Watt commented: “Andy’s impressive track record for championing a strategic, global vision is what makes him such an exciting addition to the BrewDog crew.

“His experience in working in a vibrant, bold, business famed for pushing the envelope is exactly what we need as we enter hyperdrive on our global vision.

“Our mission remains exactly the same it was on day one; to make other people as passionate about great craft beer as we are.

“Andy will be pivotal in ensuring we fulfil this over the coming years.”

Culture of fearlessness

Shaw, whose appointment follows the addition of former Diageo boss David Gates to lead BrewDog’s distilling department in November 2018, said: “BrewDog’s feats over the past decade are a direct result of a culture of innovation and fearlessness.

“When many in the industry doubted and scoffed, James and Martin remained clear-eyed and determined to change the world of beer for the better.

“I’ve been impressed by them for the past 10 years and I simply could not pass up the opportunity to join such a dynamic team in the next phase of growth.

“I couldn’t be more delighted at the chance to take BrewDog to new audiences, new territories and, ultimately, to new heights.”

Interested in working for BrewDog? Then take a look at MA’s jobs site.