Baton Berisha poached from D&D London by rival restaurant group

D&D London has announced that Baton Berisha is to leave for a role at a rival restaurant group just three months after joining the business.

Berisha started at D&D as managing director in May but has been offered a chief executive role at another company.

The Times has reported he is to take the chief executive role at the Wolseley Hospitality Group, formerly Corbin & King.

The Wolseley Hospitality Group did not confirm or deny the report but said it would issue an announcement on its new chief executive in September.

Des Gunewardena, chairman of D&D, said: “Well that was a whirlwind romance! We certainly didn’t fall out of love with one another. But Baton was offered a position which he felt he could not refuse. And we understand and respect that. He leaves with our blessing and best wishes.

“Following his departure David Loewi will revert to his role overseeing the group’s operations as COO.”

Prior to joining D&D Berisha spent seven years at the Ivy Collection and left in December 2021, only a year after being promoted to overall chief executive of the Ivy Collection, Bill’s Restaurants, Caprice Restaurants and the Birley Group.

D&D London owns and operates over 40 restaurants in London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Paris and New York and the 80-bedroom South Place Hotel in London.

In a trading update issued today the company said it saw scope to “significantly scale up” the size of its UK and international business over the next few years.