Admiral Taverns Appoints Ian Ronayne and David Wigham to its Senior Team

Admiral Taverns, the UK’s number one community pub group is pleased to confirm the appointments of Ian Ronayne and David Wigham, as the Group continues to develop its senior team, underpinning its ambitious growth plans.

Ian Ronayne joins Admiral Taverns as Managing Director, bringing with him a wealth of industry experience. Ian has held senior leadership roles at Molson Coors and more recently was Operations Director at Punch Taverns, prior to becoming Managing Director Operations at Ei Group. Ian succeeds the Group’s Operations Director Andy Hodgson, who will be retiring in April following a career spanning over thirty years in the pub industry with seven years at Admiral Taverns.

David Wigham joins the Group as Interim Commercial Director, leading the Group’s commercial, sales and marketing activities. An experienced sales and operations director, David’s career spans over 17 years in the sector with his most recent roles including the posts of Operations Director and Sales, Marketing and Development Director at Punch Taverns.

Commenting on the appointments, Kevin Georgel, Chief Executive of Admiral Taverns said:

“On behalf of the entire team I would like to welcome Ian and David to the Group. They bring with them a wealth of industry experience that will be invaluable as we continue to accelerate our ambitious growth plans, developing our position as the UK’s leading operator of community pubs.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Andy Hodgson for his significant contribution to our business during what has been a transformational period for Admiral Taverns. We wish him the very best for a long and enjoyable retirement.”

Commenting on his appointment, Ian Ronayne said:

“Admiral have built an enviable reputation in the industry for their unique culture and approach, developing strong working relationships with their licensees. Their growth trajectory is impressive, and I am delighted to be joining this progressive team during an exciting phase in the Group’s history.”

Notes to Editors

Admiral Taverns (“Admiral”), the UK’s number one community pub group. Headquartered in Chester, the Group operates a national estate of c.840 predominantly wet-led community pubs.

Admiral’s unique operational approach has earned industry recognition in recent years with the Group awarded Best leased and Tenanted Pub Company in 2013 and 2016 and ranked highly commended as Best Community Pub Operator in 2017.

The Group has also been consistently highly rated by licensees in the industry’s independent annual survey the MCA Tenant Track, exceeding the scores of all of its national peers.