Fri 30th Sep 2022 - Exclusive: RedCat Pub Company appoints Phil Birbeck as CEO with Chris Hill leaving the business Exclusive – RedCat Pub Company appoints Phil Birbeck as CEO with Chris Hill leaving business: RedCat Pub Company, the investment vehicle from ex-Greene King chief executive Rooney Anand, has appointed former Whitbread managing director Phil Birbeck as its new chief executive, taking over from Chris Hill who leaves the business, Propel has learned. Birbeck was managing director of Whitbread’s pubs division, which includes the Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Bar + Block brands, for more than five years. He also has more than 25 years’ experience in senior leadership positions, including at Dixons Carphone Group and Currys PC World. Birbeck, who has also worked in France and Spain and left Whitbread in the summer of 2020, will join RedCat, which has grown to more than 100 pubs and pub hotels, with a hotel room estate of more than 1,200 rooms, since inception in February 2021, on Monday (3 October). Hill joined RedCat last February after spending seven years as chief executive of UK pub group New World Trading Company. During his tenure, he grew the business from two sites and two brands, into an award-winning business with 28 sites across seven brands. Anand, executive chairman of RedCat Pub Company, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Phil to RedCat. We have grown rapidly since launch last year, and Phil’s experience of building and leading strong teams, creating great customer experiences and delivering results will be important as we move into the next phase of the RedCat journey. I’m looking forward to us working closely together, and welcome him to the team. Chris leaves with our sincere thanks and appreciation, having played a key role in helping me set up RedCat and establishing the retail team and operating division. We wish him and his family well for the future.” Birbeck said: “I’m excited to be joining RedCat and bringing my experience to bear. RedCat has had a strong start and has grown phenomenally quickly, and I’m looking forward to working with Rooney and the team to continue the growth momentum.” Last month, RedCat added another three sites in the south west to its portfolio. The company acquired the Mooreland Hotel and the Swan Hotel, along with The Jamaica Inn in Cornwall. They took the portfolio of The Coaching Inn Group, which was acquired by RedCat last August, to 32 sites.