Cornish brewer makes senior appointment

Currently a non-executive board member for St Austell, Georgel will step down from his five-year tenure as chief executive of Admiral Taverns to take on his new role.

Commenting on his appointment, he said: “As a non-executive director I have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the business, its people and customers and I am thrilled to have been asked to succeed James in 2020. ​

History​

“I am enormously conscious and respectful of the values and history of this great company and feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to join the business at this exciting time.”​

Georgel has spent more than 20 years in the UK brewing and pub sector, joining Admiral Taverns in 2010 as managing director and serving as operations director at Punch Taverns before that.  

Welcoming Georgel into the business, chairman Will Michelmore said: “Kevin’s skills, experience and values are a perfect fit for our company, our culture and for the customers we serve so we are all delighted about his appointment and look forward to welcoming him to the business.​

Smooth handover ​

“While we are fleet of foot and adapt to changing market opportunities, St Austell Brewery is proud to take a long-term view and I am pleased that today’s announcement of both Kevin and James’ plans will enable a smooth handover of this key role from January 2020.”​

Michelmore thanked Staughton for his contribution to the company that, under his leadership, had grown significantly. This included increasing production tenfold and extending its reach beyond Cornwall.

Staughton added: “Kevin is a good friend to me personally and we are very fortunate to have such a qualified and experienced chief executive to take on the role. I look forward to working closely with Kevin and the board over the rest of 2019 to ensure a smooth transition.”​