Valiant Pub Company, a leading operator of community-focused pubs across the UK, has announced that chief operating officer Mark McGinty will succeed Gerry Carroll as chief executive on 1st July. Gerry Carroll will become executive chairman.
Gerry and Mark co-founded Valiant in partnership with Njord Partners, in October 2021, and have scaled up the portfolio to more than 90 pubs across the UK, with a notable presence in North East, North West, Midlands, and Wales.
Under Mark and Gerry’s joint leadership, the company has become a leading name in the pub sector, combining strong operational performance with a community-focused approach.
In his new role as CEO, Mark will oversee the overall operations and growth of the company. Gerry, in his new role, will focus on strategy, governance, and supporting the senior leadership team. Mark and Gerry’s professional partnership spans over a decade and a half, including senior roles at Enterprise Inns and the co-founding of Hawthorn Leisure in 2014.
• Star Pubs, the Heineken-owned brand, is to invest £4.5m in upgrading outdoor spaces at 171 of its venues.
“Pre-pandemic, a great outdoor space was a nice-to-have,” said Star property director, Chris Moore. “Now it’s the norm and customers expect it.
“With pubs looking to offset the increased cost of doing business with higher sales, every inch of trading space should be developed. Even small unassuming spaces can be converted into attractive outdoor areas, while standard gardens can be transformed with designs that send sales soaring in good weather.”
• Marston’s plc has announced the appointment of Stephen Hopson as its new chief financial officer. He will succeed Hayleigh Lupino, who is leaving the company.
Stephen joins Marston’s from Topps Tiles, where he has served on the executive team and board as CFO since November 2020. He has, however, had more than 10 years of senior leadership experience across the leisure and retail sectors, including as director of central finance for Western Europe at Molson Coors.
Stephen will join the Marston’s Group and the board on 8th September.
