AUDIT COMMITTEE
Aisling Meany (chair)
Nick Miller
Sarah Sergeant
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE
Nick Miller (chair)
Aisling Meany
Sarah Sergeant
Stephen Goodyear
Non-Executive Chairman
Stephen has considerable knowledge of, and passion for, Young’s and the industry. He began his career with Courage Ltd in 1974 and joined Young’s in 1995. In 2003, he became chief executive and oversaw the sale of the Ram Brewery, the creation of the tenanted Ram Pub Company and the transformation of Young’s into a premium managed house business. The latter involved the acquisition of Geronimo Inns at the end of 2010 and the creation of a growing ‘pubs with rooms’ operation. In 2016, Stephen stepped down as chief executive and became a non-executive director. Stephen is approachable, measured, calm and influential, and provides invaluable support to the chief executive. As chairman, he is impartial and objective and encourages open and constructive debate.
Simon Dodd
Chief Executive
Simon was appointed Chief Executive in July 2022. He joined the company as Chief Operating Officer in September 2019 with responsibility for the group’s managed house operations, including marketing. Having spent more than 20 years working in the pub and brewing sector, Simon has a wealth of experience. Before starting at Young’s, Simon was an Executive Director at Fuller’s and Managing Director of their beer company (2016-19) – previously, he was the Operations Director of their City pubs division (2015-16). Prior to joining Fuller’s, Simon was at the Orchid Pub Company: COO (2013-14) and Commercial Director (2006-13). With his experience, knowledge and retail marketing background, Simon makes a strong contribution to the well-established Young’s business.
Mike Owen
Chief Financial Officer
Mike has overall stewardship of the group’s finance functions (including strategy, forecasting, reporting, tax, treasury, and risk management) and, since 1 October 2020, is responsible for the group’s technological needs. He has a strong passion for the industry having been group finance and IT director at Hall & Woodhouse Ltd (2016-19), head of European and then Global Deployment in the Global Business Services division of SAB Miller PLC (2014-16) and finance and IT director at Miller Brands (UK&I) Ltd (2008-14). Due to his influence and involvement in the business, and his open and engaging personality and management style, the leadership he provides benefits not just his direct reports and team but a much wider section of the company’s people. Mike is a qualified accountant.
Tracy Dodd
People Director
Tracy is responsible for all things people including HR, recruitment, development, health and safety matters and succession planning. She joined Young’s in 2015; prior to this Tracy was at the Orchid Pub Company (2006-14) where she held several senior positions including head of learning and development. Tracy plays a pivotal role ensuring our rich, premium (slightly quirky) heritage lives throughout the business, whilst remaining cognisant of the important regulatory backdrop including equality, gender diversity and team wellbeing. As a previous operator, Tracy leads by example, has a strong team ethic, and communicates seamlessly across all levels of the business.
Mark Loughborough
Retail Director
Mark was appointed to the Board as Retail Director in September 2022 and is responsible for the group’s managed operations, including food development. Mark has a BSc in Business Economics and joined Young’s as Operations Manager in February 2011, being promoted to Director of Operations in 2017 and Senior Director of Operations in 2021. He has over 25 years of experience in hospitality and has played an important role in shaping the operational direction of Young’s over the last decade. Mark works with a positive disposition and is known for his drive for innovation and creative thinking.
Nick Miller
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Nick has a wealth of experience in hospitality, leisure and brewing. He was the CEO of Meantime Brewing Company (2011-16) and before that he was the MD of Miller Brands, the UK arm of SAB Miller, the multinational brewing and beverage company. Nick has an excellent reputation in the industry. He is a particularly perceptive businessman, with significant experience and demonstrable career success at both Meantime and SAB Miller. With this background, he is able and prepared to challenge the executive directors, and he provides a strong and valuable external perspective to the board. Through a combination of his executive experience, strength of character and willingness and ability to engage, he is well placed to lead the remuneration committee and act independently.
Torquil Sligo-Young
Non-Executive Director
Torquil joined Young’s in 1985, becoming an executive director in 1997. During his time as a director, he was responsible for personnel, health and safety, and the group’s technological needs, and he also headed up the company’s in-house CSR team. In 2020, Torquil stepped down as an executive director and became a non-executive director. He is chairman of a charitable trust set up by William Allen Young, a founder of the business, and, due to his length of service and knowledge of Young’s, is chairman of Young’s Pension Trustees Limited, the trustee company that manages the Young & Co.’s Brewery, P.L.C. Pension Scheme. Torquil brings a calmness to his position and, being a member of the founding family, he helps the company keep in touch with family shareholders.
Aisling Meany
Independent Non-Executive Director
Aisling has considerable investment banking, capital markets and financial services experience. She is currently a Director of Rothschild & Co Equity Markets Solutions Limited., COO of the Equity Advisory business and a Managing Director in the Equity Advisory team. During her 13 years at Rothschild & Co. she has also held the positions of Director in the Corporate Development & Strategy team and Vice President in the Financial Institutions M&A team. Aisling is a trustee of Kiftsgate Court Gardens and Estate, holds a Master’s in Finance from the London Business School and qualified as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Sarah Sergeant
Independent Non-Executive Director
Sarah has a wealth of experience in the leisure/hospitality and property sectors and brings considerable financial, strategic, and operational experience to the Young’s board. She is currently the Chief Financial Officer, and an Executive Director of Watkin Jones PLC. Sarah was previously the Chief Financial Officer of the UK & Ireland region at Compass Group PLC. During her 13-year tenure at Compass, she held a number of senior finance and operational roles, including Group Financial Controller, M&A Director, and CFO of the Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore. Sarah is a chartered accountant.
Steve Cooke
Independent Non-Executive Director
Steve is an experienced corporate lawyer who joined the board in November 2023. He is currently the senior partner of Slaughter and May and has a wealth of corporate experience having joined the firm in 1982, before heading its mergers and acquisitions practice from 2001 to 2016. He has advised companies in the consumer, leisure, media and retail sectors, and brings a valuable external perspective to the Board. He will retire from Slaughter and May on 30 April 2024 and will take over as chairman of Young’s in July 2024.
Chris Taylor
Company Secretary
Chris provides counsel to the board on various governance, legal and regulatory issues affecting the group. He also provides leadership and advice on sustainability. Chris is an experienced chartered secretary having held positions at a number of listed companies including Guinness, Diageo and Orange, and was most recently company secretary of Sky plc. He was also part of the Young’s company secretarial team earlier in his career. Chris is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute. He has an authentic and approachable style and provides valuable advice and support to the board, executive and wider business.