Loungers makes two senior management appointments

(Sharecast News) - Hospitality operator Loungers announced two senior management appointments on Tuesday to facilitate its continued growth.

The AIM-traded firm said Justin Carter, managing director (MD) of the Lounge brand, had been promoted to the newly-created position of group MD.

In the new role, Carter would assume responsibility for overseeing all three of Loungers' brands, leveraging his industry experience and operational expertise to drive success across the organisation.

The board said Carter's journey with Loungers started in 2015 when he joined as chief operating officer (COO), subsequently transitioning to the role of Lounge MD in 2017.

Prior to his tenure at Loungers, he held was operations director at Fuller, Smith & Turner, and was also the founder of the Elbow Room pool bar chain.

Loungers also announced the appointment of Kate Eastwood as the new Lounge MD, succeeding Justin Carter in that role.

The board said Eastwood would bring a wealth of experience to Loungers, having also served as operations director at Fuller, Smith & Turner for the last four years.

Previously, she held various roles at Revolution Bars Group, including sales and marketing director and director of business development.

"As we grow and our ambitious site roll-out plan continues, it is critically important that we have a senior leadership structure in place that allows us to protect our unique culture whilst also building on the outstanding levels of hospitality and value that our brands are known for," said chief executive officer Nick Collins.

"Justin has played an integral role in the huge success that our Lounge brand has enjoyed in recent years, and his promotion to the new position of group MD is richly deserved."

Collins added that he was "delighted" to be welcoming Eastwood to Loungers.

"She has a fantastic track record from her time at Fullers and Revolution, and I am confident that she will be more than capable of building on the strong foundations that Justin has helped to create."

At 1009 BST, shares in Loungers were flat at 212p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.