Brakspear brings in new marketing manager

Brakspear has appointed a new marketing manager for its leased and tenanted pubs. 

Chris Keating joins the brewer and pub operator from hospitality supplier Premier Foods.

He also worked for 17 years at Witney brewer Refresh and, following its acquisition, for Marston’s, where he was director of marketing for its beer brands before leaving in 2021.

Since then, he has worked in the foodservice sector, holding senior marketing and innovation roles at Premier Foods and Compass Group.

In his new role, Keating will be supporting Brakspear’s 110-strong leased and tenanted estate across the south east.

Back in the game

"It is a delight to be back in the world of pubs," says Keating. "My drinks career started when I took on a ‘filler’ role as a part-time tour guide at the Wychwood Brewery in Witney, and my first tour was for a group of Brakspear licensees, showing them the famous double drop fermentation system for Brakspear ales. Then, as a marketeer at Refresh and Marston’s, I was responsible for the Brakspear portfolio. So joining Brakspear feels like a homecoming.

"After a few years away, I’ve been struck by the ongoing challenges facing our industry. It’s harder than ever to run a profitable pub now, but after touring our estate, I’m confident that our resilient, talented business partners will fare better than others."

As well as its 110 leased and tenanted pubs, Brakspear operates a further 10 sites in its managed division, Honeycomb Houses. Most of its pubs are based in the south east, with an estate stretching from Dover and the south coast up to the Cotswolds. Its head office is based in Henley-on-Thames.

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