BREWER and pubs group Belhaven has appointed a new managing director to replace outgoing head Stuart Ross, who is to step down later this year.
Euan Venters is to leave cakes-to-beauty-products firm Sara Lee to take up the position at the maker of Belhaven Best on 6 October.
Glasgow-born Venters is following in the footsteps of Rooney Anand, the chief executive of Belhaven owner Greene Ki
ng, who also made the move to the East Lothian firm's owner from Sara Lee.
Venters was previously global brand president for Sara Lee's body care business, which manufactures Brylcreem and Sanex soap products, while he has also worked for Grand Metropolitan on major beer brands such as Holsten and the launch of Foster's draught in the UK.
Outgoing Belhaven boss Ross has worked at the Dunbar-based brewer for almost 20 years and led the company through a takeover by Greene King three years ago as well as being involved in the flotation of the business in 1996 and a management buyout in 1993.
Ross said: "Belhaven has been the love of my working life. I have been very lucky to be the leader of a great team of talented people and I will miss them a lot. Belhaven is a fantastic business and I wish Euan well."
Anand said: "Euan loves beer and pubs and brings over 25 years' experience building major branded consumer goods to the Belhaven business.
"Euan takes over from Stuart, whose long and distinguished career with Belhaven has seen him build the business into what it is today. I'd like to thank him for the legacy he leaves behind that goes beyond the financial performance of Belhaven."
He added: "He has created, with the support of the management team, a very strong culture that reflects his passion and work ethic and a robust business model which has an enviable track record of success."
Venters said: "As a Scot, I'm immensely proud to be given the opportunity to head up one of Scotland's most iconic brands. I'm looking forward to joining Belhaven as I'm fascinated by the integrated nature of the business and the brewing and pub retailing sector."
Belhaven, which has more than 320 pubs north of the Border, was sold to Greene King – brewer of Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale – in a £190 million deal three years ago.
The group's Scottish arm has shown resilience against tough trading conditions in the wake of the smoking ban. This week, Greene King said Belhaven's managed estate had driven up like-for-like sales 4.6 per cent in the 16 weeks to 24 August.
And in July, it revealed that a 34 per cent increase in food sales had helped boost operating profits by 18 per cent for the 53 weeks to 4 May.
Greene King also last year bought up the 42-strong Scottish-registered Loch Fyne Restaurants chain.
Ross is to remain with the company for an unspecified period until the handover is complete.
The full article contains 514 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
