Directorate Change

RNS Number : 0167I

Whitbread PLC

03 March 2010

 



3 March 2010

WHITBREAD ANNOUNCES CHIEF EXECUTIVE SUCCESSION

Whitbread PLC today announces that Andy Harrison has been appointed as its next Chief Executive to succeed Alan Parker who has decided to retire from the company on his 64^th birthday, 25 November 2010.  Andy will join the company on 1 September as Chief Executive designate.

Andy Harrison, aged 52, is currently Chief Executive at easyJet PLC which he joined in 2005. Previously, he was 9 years as Chief Executive of RAC PLC.

Whitbread Chairman Anthony Habgood said:

"We are delighted with this appointment. We conducted a thorough international search and selection process and had a number of high quality candidates.  Andy has 14 years proven experience as a successful leader of two significant consumer facing public companies. Most recently at easyJet, he has successfully led and profitably internationalised a leading value for money brand in the highly competitive airline market.  Whitbread has substantial opportunities for further growth, both in the UK and through developing our international presence. We believe that Andy's skills and experience are ideally suited to lead Whitbread in taking advantage of these opportunities.

"Alan has made an invaluable contribution to the growth and development of Whitbread during his six years as Chief Executive.  Under his leadership Whitbread has grown to become the UK's leading hospitality company with a strong focus on value for money brands. Andy is joining a company in good health and with excellent prospects for future growth."  

Andy Harrison commented:

"I am delighted to be joining Whitbread.  It is the ideal next step for me.  Whitbread has a great history and strong culture with an exciting future ahead. Alan and his colleagues have done an outstanding job and I look forward to working with the team to build on their achievements."

End

Press Contacts

Anthony Habgood                                  +44 (0)  20 78065486

Tabitha Aldrich-Smith, Whitbread PLC       [phone]

Andrew Grant, Tulchan                           [phone]

David Allchurch, Tulchan                         [phone]

For photographs and video please visit our media library on www.whitbreadimages.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Andy Harrison

2005 to Date EASYJET PLC

Chief Executive

Founded in 1995, today easyJet is the UK's largest and Europe's fourth largest airline. For the year to 3rd September 2009 the Group reported revenue of £2.67billion, a 12.9% increase on the previous year. During Andy's tenure, it has grown from a fleet of 110 aircraft in 2005 to 187 today. easyJet carries nearly 50 million passengers from 20 bases across Europe, flying 500 routes to over 100 destinations.

1996-2005 RAC PLC (previously Lex Service PLC)

Chief Executive

Andy led the transformation of Lex Service from a vehicle distribution business into RAC PLC, a leading motoring and vehicle services company. There were three parts to RAC PLC: the RAC Consumer division including Breakdown, Financial and Legal Services, BSM; the Lex Business Services division, including Lex Vehicle Leasing, Lex Transfleet and Lex Defence; and a Parts and Distribution division. The business was acquired by Aviva PLC for £1.25billion, a 30% premium, delivering a TSR 189% over five years.

Alan Parker

Alan Parker was appointed Chief Executive of Whitbread PLC in June 2004 having been Managing Director of Whitbread Hotel Company for the previous twelve years and a member of the Whitbread PLC Board since 2000. Alan is a Director and ex-Chairman of the British Hospitality Association, a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, an Executive Committee member of the World Travel and Tourism Council and Non-Executive Director of Jumeirah Group LLC. In June 2008, Alan was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his lifetime of service to the Hospitality Industry. During his time as Chief Executive, Whitbread has been transformed from a leisure conglomerate of 10 separate divisions to the focused hotel and restaurant business that it is today.

Whitbread PLC 

The UK's largest hotel and restaurant group operating market-leading businesses in the budget hotels and restaurant sectors.  Its well-loved brands are Premier Inn, Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table, Taybarns and Costa Coffee. Whitbread employs over 33,000 people and serves 9 million customers every month in over 2,000 outlets across the UK. In the six month period ended 27 August 2009, Whitbread PLC reported a 3.1% increase in Group Revenue to £703.3 million and Underlying Profit before tax of £118.2 million down 2.7%. Whitbread PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100. It is also a member of the FTSE4Good Index.

 

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