CFO steps down at Enterprise Inns

SOLIHULL pubco Enterprise Inns has announced the retirement of its chief financial officer, David George.

Enterprise Inns said Mr George, who has been in post almost 20 years, would step down as a director following the end of the company’s Annual General Meeting on January 20, 2011.

Mr George joined the newly-formed company in 1991 as part of the management buy-in team. A qualified accountant, he spent 10 years in industry including six years at tractor manufacturer Massey Ferguson.  He then spent 10 years with Grand Metropolitan Brewing in various finance roles, including finance director of The Manns and Norwich Brewery Company and subsequently as finance director of the production division of Grand Metropolitan.

His successor will be Neil Smith, 45, a qualified chartered accountant who is currently finance director of Compass Group UK & Ireland.

To ensure an orderly transition Mr Smith will join the company on January 3rd as chief financial officer designate and will be appointed to the board at the AGM.

Mr Smith joined Compass in 2007 and prior to this, he held senior finance positions with NTL Inc, Telewest Global Inc and Somerfield plc.

Hubert Reid, chairman of Enterprise Inns, said: “David has played a key role and has been central to the growth of Enterprise Inns since he joined the company at its formation in 1991. As a result of the successful refinancing of our bank facilities in May, we have secured our medium-term financing requirements and it is now an opportune time for a successor to be appointed. The board would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution and wish him all the best for the future.”

“I am delighted that Neil has agreed to join Enterprise. We are pleased to have been able to attract an individual of Neil’s calibre to the board and his many years of finance experience within consumer facing businesses will prove invaluable to the company. We very much look forward to working with him and to welcoming him to our board.”