Former Comptoir Group CEO joins Gail’s as MD

Nick Ayerst, former managing director of Leon, will be joining Gail’s as managing director in March.

He was most recently chief executive of Comptoir Group, having joined the Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean restaurant business in October 2022.

His departure was announced in the group’s most recent trading update, published earlier this month.

Prior to Leon, Ayerst spent 15 years in leadership roles at the Restaurant Group (TRG) and, between 2013 and 2020, he was managing director of TRG Concessions, which operates restaurants, bars and quick-service outlets in airports, stations, shopping centres and Hilton hotels. 

A spokesperson for Gail’s said Ayerst will lead the business as it prepares for “the growth ahead”.

It comes after former managing director of Gail’s, Marta Pogroszewska, who will stay as chief operating officer at Gail’s owner Bread Holdings, revealed that the chain’s research in 2023 had shown there were 300 to 500 locations it could successfully open across the UK.

In 2024, Sky News reported that Bain Capital Credit and EBITDA Investments, which took a major stake in Gail’s in 2021, were drawing up plans to hire advisers to sell the bakery chain. Gail’s denied this at the time, stating there is “no sales process”.

Meanwhile, Dan Barrett has also been promoted to managing director of Gail’s sister brand the Bread Factory after three years as managing director of its wholesale business. Prior to that, he worked at Innocent drinks, Deliciously Ella, Deloitte and BT.

The Bread Factory and Gail’s bakery are both owned by Bread Holdings.

The first Gail’s bakery launched in London’s Hampstead in 2005.

Photo: CK Travels/Shutterstock