Tue 19th Mar 2024 - Stonegate Group hires two new MDs, Frazer Grimbleby promoted, Nick Andrews to retire Stonegate Group hires MDs for Managed and Publican Partners businesses, Frazer Grimbleby promoted to Craft Union MD, Nick Andrews to retire: Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has hired Carol Campbell as managing director of its circa 760-strong Managed business and Lee Reed as the new managing director of its circa 3,100-strong Publican Partners tenanted and leased division, as well as promoting Frazer Grimbleby to managing director for its circa 600-strong Craft Union business. Campbell was most recently retail director at Wickes and previously held senior roles at Walmart, Aldi and Woolworths, both in the UK and internationally. She will join the TDR Capital-backed Stonegate as managing director for its Managed business, which includes the Slug & Lettuce, Be At One and Popworld brands, as well as a large unbranded estate. Reed joins the company’s tenanted and leased division from Papa Johns, where he was senior operations director UK and international. Prior to this, he spent nearly a decade at KFC in a variety of roles, including director of franchise operations, and began his career with M&S. Grimbleby, meanwhile, has been promoted to the role of managing director for Stonegate’s Craft Union business, its operator-led managed format. Grimbleby has held several roles within the business, most recently as director of Craft Union. The company said that the managing director position is a new role reflecting the “continued strong growth of the Craft Union division and into which Stonegate is investing heavily as part of its conversion strategy”. All three will formally join the company’s operating board with effect from 8 April 2024. The appointments of Reed and Grimbleby to the operating board follow the decision by Nick Andrews to retire. Andrews has spent nearly a decade at Stonegate, having joined in 2015 to oversee the Managed Pub business and most recently led both the Craft Union and Publican Partners businesses. He also played a critical role in leading the integration of the legacy Stonegate and Ei Group businesses and has since been instrumental in driving the successful evolution of both Craft Union and Publican Partners. The company said Andrews will continue to play a key role in the business over the coming months to support a smooth handover. Propel revealed last month that Helen Charlesworth was to step down as managing director of Stonegate’s managed pub business at Stonegate Group. She will leave the business on 28 March after eight years with the group. David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate Group said: “I am thrilled to announce these new hires and appointments to the operating board, which is a hugely significant and exciting milestone for our business. In Carol and Lee, we have hired exciting talent whose skills and experience from their respective sectors will provide a fresh perspective for our Managed and Pub Partners businesses. Frazer’s promotion is incredibly well-deserved and reflects stellar performance and the significant growth potential of the Craft Union business. I’d like to thank Nick for his considerable contribution to the business, in particular the work he has done to develop Craft Union, which is now so key to our overall growth strategy. He still has a critical role to play in our business over the months ahead before enjoying his well-earned retirement. Above all, the new operating board structure reflects the equal significance of our three business units, compliments our strategy and provides the right platform to deliver our new mission of ‘Bringing People Together through our passion for great pubs, bars, and venues’.