Wadworth CEO prepares to leave business

Wadworth, the brewer and tenanted and managed pub operator, has announced a restructure of its business.

Chief executive officer Chris Welham is to leave the company in December, having led the business for a period of five years. Toby Bartholomew, son of chairman Charles Bartholomew, will take over as managing director.

“After just over five years as chief executive officer for Wadworth, I can confirm that Chris Welham is to leave the company at the end of December 2020,” comments Charles. “Chris has been a loyal and dedicated member of the board and has led us through a considerable period of change. It was always the intention for Chris to oversee an orderly transition of his duties to a family director.

“I am pleased to confirm that Toby Bartholomew will become managing director of Wadworth once Chris has left us. My sincere thanks go to Chris for the way he has led our business over the years and also for the help and support he and his team have given to Toby. Chris goes with our best wishes and huge appreciation for his considerable contribution to the company. I am obviously delighted that Toby will take over and that the leadership of the company once again comes back into the family fold, as planned, following Chris’s tenure”.

In addition to its family brewery, Wadworth operates in excess of 150 pubs across south west England and London.