Prezzo, the TPG Capital-backed restaurant chain, has appointed Wayne Arthur, finance director at Premier Inn, as its new chief financial officer, MCA has learnt.
Arthur, who has been with the Whitbread-owned hotel brand since 2010, is set to take over from Alan Millar, who has stepped down as Prezzo’s finance director after over nine years in the role.
Arthur was previously group finance director at Premium Bars & Restaurants and head of finance at Barracuda Group.
He will report into Jon Hendry-Pickup, formerly of Travelodge and Tesco, who was appointed Prezzo’s new chief executive earlier this year.
The c290-strong company was taken private by TPG Capital last year in a £304m deal
The company, which plans to open a further 20 new sites through its eponymous brand and its Chimichanga Tex-Mex format this year, also appointed Morag Freathy, formerly of Compass, as managing director of its Tex-Mex brand Chimichanga earlier this summer.
As part of her remit, she is currently overseeing the trial of the group’s new pilot concept MexiCo, which has been developed by the company in conjunction with US chef and restaurateur Johnny Hernandez and launch at intu Derby earlier this summer.
Prezzo reported revenue for the year to 3 January up 13% to £213.8m.
The group reported adjusted pre-tax profits down from £23.3m to £23.1m - during a year in which the estate grew from 259 to 276 restaurants.
