EAT appoints new Chief Executive & NED
EAT. lands top man from Costa as new Chief Executive
Former Waitrose Retail Director joins as Non-executive
Niall MacArthur, co-founder of EAT. the fast-growing fresh food, soup and coffee company, is delighted to announce the appointment of Adrian Johnson as the new Chief Executive of the business. Adrian joins EAT. from Costa Coffee, the Whitbread subsidiary, where he was most recently Managing Director of Costa Retail overseeing a trebling of store numbers and driving consistent like-for-like growth.
This appointment is a crucial next step in Niall and co-owner Lyceum Capital’s long term growth plans for the business, which will see EAT. double its number of stores.
Adrian joins EAT. after a 22 year career at Whitbread. During this career Adrian has worked across a range of Whitbread businesses in various roles, since joining Whitbread in 1991 as a store manager for TGI Fridays. He joined Costa in 2005 as Operations Director and was appointed to the role of Managing Director for Costa Retail in 2012.
It is anticipated that Adrian will take up his new role at EAT. with effect from 1 June 2013. Niall will remain on the Board of EAT. and will continue to play a role in the business in a non-executive capacity.
In a further strengthening of its Board, EAT. is very pleased to announce the appointment of retail industry veteran Tony Solomons as a senior independent Non-executive Director. Tony joined the Board late in 2012. Tony was previously a member of the Waitrose Management Board for over 16 years, and was Waitrose Retail Director from 2007 until 2012. Tony joined Waitrose in 1982. During his career at Waitrose Tony helped grow the business from £1 billion turnover in 1995 to a £5.5 billion multi-format and multi-channel business in 2011. In his time on the Board Waitrose became the leading premium food retailer in the UK overtaking Marks and Spencer in 2009.
Niall MacArthur, co-founder of EAT. said: “I am extremely pleased that we have secured Adrian as the new Chief Executive alongside Tony as a non-executive. With their exemplary track records of delivering sustained growth and implementing ambitious expansion programmes, we have added two outstanding talents to the Board. These appointments are a tremendous coup for the business and I am looking forward to working with both Adrian and Tony. We have an exciting period ahead as we continue with our next phase of growth and development.”
Adrian Johnson, commenting upon his appointment said: “EAT. is a fantastic brand and I am hugely excited about this opportunity and through my experience at Costa look forward to growing the business and in facilitating the founders’ vision. I have thoroughly enjoyed my many years working with Whitbread but now is the time for me to move on and I am delighted that I will be joining the team at EAT.”
Philip Buscombe, Chairman of Lyceum Capital, the majority owner of EAT. commented: “We are delighted that Adrian and Tony are both joining the Board of EAT. Their combined experience in the food retail sector will be invaluable in ensuring the business can fulfill the Board’s ambitious growth strategy, based upon the firm foundations set in place by EAT.’s co-founders Niall and Faith MacArthur.”