BrewDog has appointed Allan Leighton as its Chairman to help repair its reputation after former employees recently complained of a “culture of fear” and “toxic” atmosphere at the beer and spirits company.
Leighton has held a series of high profile roles, including Chief Executive of Asda, from 1996 to 2000, Non-Executive Chairman of Royal Mail from 2002 to 2009 and President of Loblaw, the largest food retailer in Canada, from 2008 to 2011. He is currently Chairman of the Co-op.
At BrewDog, he will be tasked with stabilising the business ahead of a potential stock market float. He is also expected to act as a mentor to the Scottish brewer’s outspoken Chief Executive, James Watt.
Leighton said: “BrewDog has built an incredible market position and brand in a short space of time. It continues to grow quickly all over the world, has a fantastic team of people, and an outstanding sustainability story to tell.
“I look forward to playing my role in ensuring the company has the right governance in place to capitalise on the opportunities ahead.”
