A HENLEY-based pub company has welcomed a new marketing manager.
Chris Keating has joined Brakspear and will be charged with helping champion its 110 leased and tenanted pubs across the south east.
They include The Hope & Anchor in Wokingham, The Dog & Duck in Emmbrook, and The Butcher’s Arms in Sonning Common.
Brakspear says that Mr Keating has a wealth of experience, including spending 17 years working with Witney brewer Refresh and, following its acquisition, for Marston’s, where he was director of marketing for its beer brands before leaving in 2021.
He has also worked in senior marketing and innovation roles at Premier Foods and Compass Group.
“It is a delight to be back in the world of pubs,” Mr Keating said.
“My drinks career started when I took on a ‘filler’ role as a part-time tour guide at the Wychwood Brewery in Witney, and my first tour was for a group of Brakspear licensees, showing them the famous double drop fermentation system for Brakspear ales.
“Then, as a marketeer at Refresh and Marston’s, I was responsible for the Brakspear portfolio. So joining Brakspear feels like a homecoming.”
The challenges facing the industry is something he said was striking.
“It’s harder than ever to run a profitable pub now, but after touring our estate, I’m confident that our resilient, talented business partners will fare better than others,” he continued.
“Our most successful pubs are those where we have offered help and guidance for our business partners to build unique, special businesses that have strong ties with their local communities. Marketing is part of that and I’m looking forward to working with them to provide the tailored support that’s right for their pubs.”
The appointment was welcomed by the firm’s chief executive, Tom Davies.
He said: “We’re delighted to welcome Chris to Brakspear. It’s hard to think of anyone with more relevant experience and we know from our long-standing relationship that he is passionate about both our pubs and our beers.
“We also know that Chris shares our values of nurturing our business partners as individuals, supporting them to develop their pub their way rather than imposing a ‘one size fits all’ approach. We’re confident that he will quickly make a positive difference across our business.”
