UPDATE: Whitbread Turns To Banker Alison Brittain As Next CEO

Fri, 22nd May 2015 07:28

LONDON (Alliance News) - Whitbread PLC Friday said Lloyds Banking Group PLC executive Alison Brittain will be its next chief executive, becoming the sixth female CEO of a FTSE 100 company.

The owner of the Premier Inn and Costa Coffee chains said Brittain will join the company on January 4, 2016, and will succeed Andy Harrison who is retiring from full-time executive life at the end of February, 2016.

Brittain, aged 50, is currently Group Director, Retail Division at Lloyds Banking Group, which she joined in 2011. She had previously held roles at Santander UK and Barclays PLC and is also a non executive director of Marks and Spencer Group PLC.

"Alison has vast experience in successfully managing multi-site operations with leading brands. She has a natural ability to inspire and motivate large customer-facing teams to deliver great service and her strong personal belief in the importance of putting the customer at the heart of the business makes her a perfect fit with our culture and values. Alison also has proven experience in delivering digital online and mobile technology, business to business marketing, and managing significant property portfolios," Whitbread Chairman Richard Baker said in a statement.

"I am absolutely delighted to have been chosen to lead Whitbread. I am impressed by its success and its strong, well loved brands. Its belief in focussing on customers and team members is something that is very close to my heart and I am committed to supporting and developing this even further in the future. Whitbread has a clear strategy and I am looking forward to leading the company as it grows and delivers for its customers, its people and its shareholders," Brittain said.

Whitbread said it had run an "extensive search and selection process" and Brittain was the "standout candidate from a very strong field".

Whitbread shares were down 0.1% at 5,255.00 pence.

The FTSE 100 currently has five female chief executives: Veronique Laury at Kingfisher PLC, Alison Cooper at Imperial Tobacco, Liv Garfield at Severn Trent PLC, Carolyn McCall at easyJet PLC and Moya Greene at Royal Mail PLC.

By Steve McGrath; stevemcgrath@alliancenews.com; @stevemcgrath1