James Brown appointed chief executive of Prezzo

James Brown is to take over as chief executive of casual dining chain Prezzo.

He announced his departure from BrewDog Bars yesterday after nine years with the company.

Brown joined BrewDog Bars in 2015 as retail director and was promoted to managing director – bars during the pandemic in 2020.

He stepped up to lead the bars division in December 2022, overseeing its estate of more than 100 venues worldwide.

Under his tenure BrewDog has targeted further overseas expansion in India, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Thailand and the US. It is planning to reach 300 global sites by 2030 and looking to open in China and South Korea over the next few years.

As part of the leadership transition, Dean Challenger, Prezzo’s former chief executive, will reassume his previous role as chief financial officer following the chain’s recovery.

Prezzo closed 46 sites in April 2022 after Challenger said soaring inflation had made it “impossible” for all its restaurants to stay profitable.

However, the casual dining chain returned to profitability in 2023 after undergoing a major restructure of the business.

Jonathan Goldstein, chairman of Prezzo, said: “Dean’s leadership has put Prezzo in a strong position for future growth, and with James’ wealth of experience, industry expertise, and proven ability to drive success, we are excited to build on this foundation, broaden our reach, and secure lasting success in the competitive dining sector.”

Brown, who is also co-founder of cashless tipping platform Tipjar, said: “I am thrilled to be joining Prezzo at such an important time in its journey. The brand has a proud heritage and immense potential, and I look forward to working closely with the talented team to drive innovation and create outstanding experiences for our customers.”

Brown will remain a shareholder in BrewDog.