Chair retires at Tennent’s firm

Scots businessman Sir Brian Stewart is to retire from his role as chairman of Tennent’s owner C&C Group, it was confirmed yesterday.

He will step down from the board at the conclusion of the group’s annual general meeting on 5 July, having served eight years in the role.

C&C said that following a “thorough selection process”, Stewart Gilliland, who joined the board as a non-executive director in 2012, would succeed him as chairman.

Gilliland was chairman of Booker Group from 2015 until its acquisition by Tesco in March of this year, following which he was appointed to the board of Tesco as a non-executive director. He is also senior independent director of pubs and restaurant giant Mitchells & Butlers.

Sir Brian was appointed as a non-executive director of C&C Group in March 2010. He was appointed as chairman in August of that year.

He is a former chairman of Standard Life and of Miller Group and a former chairman and chief executive of Scottish & Newcastle.

Earlier this month, C&C said that its Scottish businesses had “excelled” this year, as it highlighted a strong performance from lager brand Tennent’s.

Unveiling results for the year to the end of February, the Irish firm said Tennent’s had benefited from continued investment in social media, product innovation, sponsorship and a new fount roll-out programme.

While brand volumes were flat, that outperformed a total beer market that was down by 2 per cent. In the free trade sector in Scotland, the brand grew customers, share and value, C&C noted.

Off-trade volumes were up 3 per cent, again taking share. Net sales revenues for the Tennent’s brand for the period were up 5.3 per cent in the UK.

C&C, whose other brands include Magners and Heverlee, reported group revenues of €548.2 million (£479.2m).