Hydes has announced the appointment of Peter Borg-Neal as its new chairman. Borg-Neal, 65, succeeds Richard Lancaster, who has overseen record turnover at the company.
Borg-Neal brings more than 40 years of high-level experience in multi-site hospitality and consumer-facing sectors. He is best known as the founder of Oakman Inns, which he scaled from a greenfield concept into a highly respected, £60m-plus premium pub group spanning 32 sites.
His extensive leadership background includes senior roles at Whitbread plc and Allied Domecq Retailing, as well as twice being named business leader of the year at the Publican Awards. He currently operates as the principal advisor at Ascott Advisory.
“I have always been a traditionalist at heart, and I firmly believe that the relationship between a brewery and its pubs is one of the defining characteristics of our industry,” said Borg-Neal. “Hydes has been family-owned for more than 160 years and represents a vital part of that heritage. I am immensely proud to become chairman, and I see it as a key responsibility to help ensure Hydes remains a strong, proudly independent family business for generations to come.
“Richard Lancaster joined just before the pandemic and, alongside the executive team, guided Hydes through an incredibly challenging environment with great skill and discipline. The business has emerged financially strong, well organised, and with a clear sense of purpose. My first responsibility is to preserve that stability. Over the coming months, I intend to listen, learn, and fully understand the business before helping to shape the next phase of Hydes’ success.”
Adam Mayers, managing director of Hydes Brewery, said: “On behalf of the entire board and the family shareholders, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Richard Lancaster for his immense contribution to Hydes over the years. His steady leadership and governance rigour provided crucial stability during a period of unprecedented industry disruption, leaving the company on an exceptionally firm financial footing.
“Peter is a very well-respected figure in the UK hospitality sector and brings an extraordinary wealth of operational and strategic expertise. His deep understanding of values-driven, independent businesses makes him the perfect fit for Hydes as we leverage our strong capital position to invest wisely, support our people, and deliver the high standards our customers expect.”
