David Campbell, formerly of Wagamama, has joined The Ivy Collection, the Richard Caring-backed group, as its first chief executive.
At the same time, Campbell has been appointed as executive chairman of Bill’s Restaurants, which is also backed by the serial sector investor Caring.
Confirming the appointment, Richard Caring told MCA: “We’re happy that he’s joining the team.”
As revealed by MCA earlier this year, Campbell has been working as consultant for the Nick Jones-led Soho House. It is thought that Campbell was assessing a number of roll-out businesses including Quentin restaurant brands, Mollie’s Motel & Diner and Soho Works global expansion.
MCA understands that he maintains a non-executive role at Soho House.
Campbell joined Wagamama in 2014, and was credited with reviving its fortunes into one of the best performing operators in the sector, doubling its value over four years in charge.
He won MCA’s Retailer’s Retailer of the Year award in 2017, before stepping down in April last year.
MCA revealed last month that Yishay Malkov, one of the key driving forces behind the development and expansion of the Ivy Collection had left the business.
Malkov, the former restaurant director of Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and general manager at Roka Restaurants, joined the Ivy Collection in May 2014 and as its executive operations director played a key part in growing the business into a national presence.
The group currently operates 24 sites, with several more restaurants in its pipeline for this year. MCA understands that under Malkov’s direction the business is on target to produce annual EBITDA of c£20m, with turnover already nudging over the £100m-mark.
In January, Bill’s Restaurants appointed Duncan Garrood as its new chief executive to lead the company “as it enters a new phase of development and expansion across the country”.
