Managing director of leased division at Punch Taverns to leave

Deborah Kemp, managing director of the leased division at Punch Taverns, is to leave the business, the pub giant announced today.

Kemp, who has been with Punch and its previous incarnations for 25 years, relinquishes her board position with immediate effect, but will stay on until the end of the year to enable a smooth handover to her successor Roger Whiteside.

Whiteside was most recently chief executive at off-licence chain Thresher Group and is a non executive director of Greggs, the baker.

Kemp assumed her current role with Punch last April after chief operating officer Adrian Fawcett quit to become chief executive at private hospital group General Healthcare.

Giles Thorley, chief executive of Punch, thanked Kemp and said: “To her credit, Deborah will be leaving the leased business a significantly more customer-focused and streamlined operation which will stand the business in excellent stead as we continue to build the UK’s premier pub company.”

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By Chris Druce

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