Whitbread appoints new managing director for Costa

12 Apr 2016 Financial & business

Whitbread PLC announces today that Christopher Rogers, Managing Director of Costa and an executive director on the Whitbread PLC Board has decided to leave the company. He will be stepping down from the Board following the next Board meeting on 20^th April. Dominic Paul has been appointed to succeed Chris as the new Managing Director for Costa and will take up his new role on 6^th June. To support Dominic and ensure a smooth transition, Chris will remain with the company until 1^st July.

Dominic joins from Royal Caribbean International where he has been Senior Vice President International since November 2013. Dominic is responsible for the international business outside of the company’s US operations and has been particularly focused on growing the business in Asia Pacific and China where Royal Caribbean is now the largest cruise brand. Dominic joined Royal Caribbean International in 2010 from bmi, where he was Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, having developed his earlier career in customer service and operational roles in the airline industry at British Airways, Go fly and easyJet.

Richard Baker, Chairman said:

“Chris has made an immense contribution to Whitbread over the last eleven years. He joined Whitbread as Finance Director in 2005 and played a leading role in the transformation of the Group to a more focused and profitable business. He then took the helm at Costa in 2012 and under his leadership Costa has grown rapidly from under 2,500 stores to over 3,200 today and is firmly established as the UK’s favourite coffee shop chain. On behalf of all my Board colleagues, I should like to thank him for all he has done over the years and, more recently, for his support and typical professionalism in enabling a smooth succession planning process. We wish him every success in the future”

Alison Brittain, CEO said:

“During his tenure Chris has played a key role in establishing the successful Group that we have today, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for this and to wish him well in the future.

“I am delighted that Dominic Paul will be joining Whitbread to lead Costa in its next exciting stage of growth. Dominic brings a wealth of experience in the travel and leisure industry, both here in the UK and overseas and his recent experience is particularly relevant for Costa’s international growth plans. His passion for delivering outstanding customer experiences and track record of delivering growth in customer-focused hospitality businesses makes him the perfect fit for Costa.”

Chris Rogers said:

“I have loved being part of Whitbread and Costa during what has been a period of enormous value creation and growth, and after eleven years, I have decided that now is the right time for change. Costa is a great business with tremendous people and I wish them, Alison and all my colleagues at Whitbread every future success.”

Dominic Paul said:

“Costa is a fantastic business with a huge amount of further potential – both in the UK and overseas – and I am extremely excited to be working with the team to take the business to the next level.”

The details required by Section 430 2B of The Companies Act 2006 can be found in the Investor section under governance/remuneration.