Directorate change

Tortilla Mexican Grill PLC

01 December 2025

 

Tortilla Mexican Grill plc

("Tortilla", the "Group" or the "Company")
Appointment of Chair

1 December 2025

Tortilla Mexican Grill PLC ("Tortilla" or the "Group"), the largest and most successful fast-casual Mexican restaurant group in Europe, is pleased to announce the appointment of Duncan Garrood as Non-Executive Chair, with effect from 5 December 2025.

Duncan succeeds Emma Woods, who, as previously announced, will step down as Chair following four years on the Board.

Duncan currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Empiric Student Properties PLC. He brings significant leadership experience, having previously served as CEO of Punch Taverns, Bill's Restaurants and Ten Entertainment Group, and has held board roles as Chair of Small Beer Brewco and is currently Senior Independent Director with the Brighton Pier Group. He also adds substantial international franchising expertise from his time with Alshaya, BAA and with Eathos (Tortilla's Franchisee) in the Middle East. This combination of operational, board and global franchising experience will be invaluable as Tortilla enters its next phase of growth in the UK and internationally.

The Board would like to thank Emma for her leadership and contribution during her tenure as Chair and is delighted to welcome Duncan to the Group.

Duncan Garrood, incoming Chair, commented:

It is great honour to be invited to chair Tortilla, a brand I have admired for a long time and had the pleasure of working with, and to help the team steer through the next chapter of growth. I'd like to thank Emma hugely for steering the company from its IPO and I look forward to working with the Tortilla team and our investors.

Andy Naylor, Chief Executive Officer, added:

"We are delighted to welcome Duncan to the Board. His deep understanding of international hospitality and franchising will be a tremendous asset as we continue to deliver on our growth ambitions both in the UK and overseas. I would also like to thank Emma for her support and stewardship over the past four years."

Emma Woods, outgoing Chair, commented:

"It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of Tortilla alongside Andy, Brandon and the Board. I have known and admired Duncan for years, and with the business now well positioned for its next phase of development, including international expansion, I am confident that Duncan's extensive experience makes him the ideal person to guide Tortilla through this exciting next chapter."

A further update will be provided following the formal handover process.

Completion of the appointment is subject to the completion of customary regulatory due diligence checks by the Company's Nominated Adviser and a further announcement will be made in due course.

In accordance with Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies, Duncan Steven Garrood (aged 67 years) holds / has held the following directorships / partnerships in the last 5 years.

Current	Previous in last five years
EMPIRIC (LIVERPOOL HAHNEMANN BUILDING) LIMITED	SMALL BEER BREW CO. LTD
EMPIRIC (GLASGOW GEORGE ST) LIMITED	EMPIRIC ACQUISITIONS LIMITED
EMPIRIC (SUMMIT HOUSE) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (STIRLING FORTHSIDE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (COLLEGE GREEN) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (NOTTINGHAM FRONTAGE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PICTUREHOUSE APARTMENTS) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (LONDON FRANCIS GARDNER) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (TALBOT STUDIOS) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (LIVERPOOL CHATHAM LODGE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (TWO) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (LEICESTER WEST WALK) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EXETER LL) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (LEEDS MARY MORRIS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEEDS ALGERNON) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (HUDDERSFIELD SNOW ISLAND) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LONDON CAMBERWELL) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (HUDDERSFIELD OLDGATE HOUSE) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (NOTTINGHAM 95 TALBOT) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (EXETER ISCA LOFTS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (GLASGOW BALLET SCHOOL) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (EXETER CITY SERVICE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BATH JSW) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (EXETER BONHAY ROAD) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (SEVEN) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (DURHAM ST MARGARETS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (FALMOUTH MARITIME STUDIOS) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (DEVELOPMENTS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PORTSMOUTH REGISTRY) LIMITED	EMPIRIC (BRISTOL) LEASING LIMITED
HELLO STUDENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED
EMPIRIC (YORK PERCY'S LANE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PORTSMOUTH EUROPA HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (SEVEN) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PROVINCIAL HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BATH CANALSIDE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BATH PICCADILLY PLACE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (GLASGOW GEORGE ST) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PROVINCIAL HOUSE) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (YORK LAWRENCE STREET) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (FALMOUTH OCEAN BOWL) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER 160 UPPER NEW WALK) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (SIX) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (CANTERBURY PAVILION COURT) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BATH OOLITE ROAD) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BIRMINGHAM APARTMENTS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PORTSMOUTH EUROPA HOUSE) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (YORK FOSS STUDIOS 1) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (MANCHESTER VICTORIA POINT) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LONDON ROAD) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BATH JAMES HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (TRIPPET LANE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER BEDE PARK) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EDINBURGH SOUTH BRIDGE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (NEWCASTLE METROVICK) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (HUDDERSFIELD OLDGATE HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (CARDIFF WNDSR HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER 140-142 NEW WALK) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER 134 NEW WALK) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER DE MONTFORT SQUARE) LIMITED
BRUNSWICK CONTRACTING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EDGE APARTMENTS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (TWO) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (READING SAXON COURT) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (GLASGOW) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (ST ANDREWS AYTON HOUSE) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (SNOW ISLAND) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (CLAREMONT NEWCASTLE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (READING SAXON COURT) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (NORTHGATE HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (ALWYN COURT) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEEDS ST MARKS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (FALMOUTH OCEAN BOWL) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (GLASGOW) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BRISTOL ST MARY'S) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEEDS PENNINE HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (FIVE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BRISTOL CH) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (FIVE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER 136-138 NEW WALK) LIMITED
EMPIRIC STUDENT PROPERTY PLC
EMPIRIC (BIRMINGHAM) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (SOUTHAMPTON) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BUCCLEUCH STREET) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (ST PETER STREET) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (CENTRO COURT) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (HATFIELD CP) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EXETER DCL) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (EIGHT) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (THREE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (SOUTHAMPTON) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (FOUR) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (FOUR) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (GLASGOW BATH ST) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BRISTOL) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LANCASTER PENNY STREET 1) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LANCASTER PENNY STREET 3) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LANCASTER PENNY STREET 2) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER PEACOCK LANE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (SOUTHAMPTON EMILY DAVIES) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EDINBURGH KSR) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PORTOBELLO HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LIVERPOOL ART SCHOOL/MAPLE HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LIVERPOOL GROVE STREET) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LIVERPOOL OCTAGON/HAYWARD) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (MANCHESTER LADYBARN) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (OXFORD STONEMASON) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (ST ANDREWS AYTON HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BIRMINGHAM EMPORIUM) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER HOSIERY FACTORY) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LEICESTER SHOE & BOOT FACTORY) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PORTSMOUTH ELM GROVE LIBRARY) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (PORTSMOUTH KINGSWAY HOUSE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (CANTERBURY FRANCISCANS) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BRISTOL ST MARY'S) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EDINBURGH KSR) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EXETER BISHOP BLACKALL SCHOOL) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (STOKE CALEDONIA MILL) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BAPTISTS CHAPEL) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (ONE) LIMITED
EMPIRIC INVESTMENTS (EIGHT) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (BRISTOL CH) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (MANCHESTER TH) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (CARDIFF WNDSR HOUSE) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC STUDENT PROPERTY TRUSTEES LIMITED
EMPIRIC (NOTTINGHAM FRONTAGE) LEASING LIMITED
EMPIRIC (EXETER BONHAY ROAD) LIMITED
EMPIRIC (LIVERPOOL CHATHAM LODGE) LIMITED
THE BRIGHTON PIER GROUP LIMITED

Duncan Garrood does not currently own any securities in the Company.

There are no further disclosures required in accordance with Rule 17 or Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

ENQUIRIES:

Tortilla Mexican Grill PLC	Via Eggmedia
Andy Naylor, Chief Executive Officer
Richard Haley, Chief Financial Officer
Panmure Liberum Limited (Nominated Adviser, Sole Broker)	Tel: [phone]
Andrew Godber
Edward Thomas
Gaya Bhatt
Eggmedia Ltd (Public Relations)	Tel: [phone]
Ian Edmondson	[e-mail]
Ross Gow	[e-mail]

About Tortilla Mexican Grill plc

Founded in 2007, Tortilla is Europe's largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand. With 81 UK locations (of which 15 are franchise stores), 22 in France (of which 9 are franchise stores) and 13 franchise stores in the Middle East, Tortilla offers authentic California-style burritos, tacos and salads.

Through the acquisition of Chilango in the UK in 2022 and Fresh Burritos in France in 2024, as well as franchise partnerships with SSP Group plc, Compass UK & Ireland and Eathos, the brand continues to expand globally.

Tortilla breaks the mould of typical takeaways, combining quick service with quality ingredients to serve affordable, made-to-order meals in under 90 seconds, in cosy environments fitting for lunch or dinner and a beer with friends. The menu is fully customisable - there are thousands of flavour combinations to try - with produce that's fresh, never frozen, 70% plant-based and vegan-friendly, higher welfare meats and free from artificial flavours or preservatives.

Emphasising sustainability, Tortilla only uses recycled and recyclable packaging, 100% renewable electricity and sends zero waste to landfill.

Headquartered in London and listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: MEX), Tortilla employs over 1,200 people.

More details at tortillagroup.co.uk

 

END