New CEO announced at Wadworth
It has been announced that Chris Welham is to become the new Chief Executive Officer at Wadworth & Co Ltd. Chris joins Wadworth from his recent role as Managing Director of Spirit Leased at Sprit Pub Company and brings years of experience in the pub and licensed hospitality sector to the regional brewer and pub company based in Devizes, Wiltshire.
Chris Welham, Chief Executive Officer at Wadworth & Co. Ltd
The appointment follows last year’s decision by Charles Bartholomew, a descendent of one of the original founders of the company, to step down from his dual role of Managing Director and Executive Chairman. Charles will still be maintaining a keen interest in the business in the role of Non-Executive Chairman, but Chris will lead the organisation into its next stage of growth.
“I am delighted that Chris has agreed to join us as CEO. He is the ideal person to lead Wadworth going forward at a time when we are seeking to grow our managed and tenanted business,” said Charles. “He will also be working to further enhance the sales and distribution of our award-winning portfolio of beers which are brewed at our brewery. Under his leadership I am confident that we will continue to honour the heritage of our business whilst at the same time moving forward to meet the demands of modern consumers.”
Chris joins the company with an impressive record in the pub sector. He demonstrated strong leadership qualities during his time with Spirit and prior to that with Greene King, and as a Non-Executive Director with the British Institute of Innkeeping he has further grown his network and strong reputation within the industry.
“This is a really exciting opportunity for me and I am greatly looking forward to starting the new role in November,” says Chris. “It’s also an exciting time for Wadworth and the brewing industry as a whole. Recent reports reveal a significant swing to real ale among younger drinkers. I am delighted to be joining a company with such a distinguished history and such strong potential for growth for both its beer brands and pub business.”
Wadworth currently operates some 240 pubs in the South and South West of England. A regional brewer with over 140 years of brewing expertise, its best known beer Wadworth 6X has been joined in recent years by many other popular brews such as Corvus stout, Swordfish (a beer laced with rum) and the refreshingly drinkable Horizon. The company is one of the very last to still make daily beer deliveries by shire horse and dray to local pubs, and has a studio where pub signs are still hand painted in the traditional fashion. It also has a very successful award-winning Visitor Centre. www.wadworth.co.uk
