Admiral Taverns has appointed Ian Ronayne as managing director and confirmed David Wigham’s new role as interim commercial director.
Ronayne succeeds the group’s operations director Andy Hodgson, who will be retiring in April following a career spanning over 30 years in the pub industry with seven at Admiral Taverns.
Ronayne has held senior leadership roles at Molson Coors and more recently was operations director at Punch, prior to becoming managing director operations at Ei Group.
As MCA reported last month, Wigham is now heading up Admiral’s commercial, sales and marketing activities on an interim basis. His career spans over 17 years in the sector with his most recent roles including the posts of operations director and sales, marketing and development director at Punch.
Admiral Taverns chief executive Kevin Georgel said: “On behalf of the entire team I would like to welcome Ian and David to the group. They bring with them a wealth of industry experience that will be invaluable as we continue to accelerate our ambitious growth plans, developing our position as the UK’s leading operator of community pubs.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Andy Hodgson for his significant contribution to our business during what has been a transformational period for Admiral Taverns. We wish him the very best for a long and enjoyable retirement.”
Ronayne said: “Admiral have built an enviable reputation in the industry for their unique culture and approach, developing strong working relationships with their licensees. Their growth trajectory is impressive, and I am delighted to be joining this progressive team during an exciting phase in the group’s history.”
