SIBA boss Benner steps down

Benner will be leaving at the end of June and will be taking the helm as chief executive of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, representing and campaigning for the rights of injured people.

He said: “I am sad to be leaving a great organisation and an industry that I have worked in for many years but, equally, I am excited about the opportunity to step into a new role in a different sector, making a difference to the lives of injured people.”

Essential voice

Benner added: “SIBA continues to be an essential voice for independent craft brewers facing regulatory and market access challenges, and I’m sure it will continue to go from strength to strength.

“We have a highly committed and capable team of people and it has been a real pleasure to work with them.”

Benner takes up his new post on 1 July and SIBA has started seeking a new chief executive.

SIBA chairman Ian Fozard said: “Benner has led SIBA through unprecedented challenges over the past few years and I thank him for his vision, leadership and determination. I wish him all the best in his future role.”

Previous history

Benner joined SIBA in 2014 as managing director from his role as chief executive for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

He was chief executive at CAMRA for 10 years during which time the campaign group's membership doubled. He was at the forefront of many campaigning successes, including the scrapping of the hated beer duty escalator and planning reforms to benefit pubs.

At the time, Benner summed up his job as managing director of SIBA as “building a future for British beer at the quality end of the beer market. There has to be a big generic promotion for beer. It’s Britain’s drink and it needs collective action to get people back into drinking it in pubs”.