Boardroom shake-up at Yates

Yates Group, the pub operator recently bought out by its management in a £98m deal, has announced a shake-up designed to strengthen its board of directors.

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Yates: tipped to buy Laurel

Finance director Stevan Fowler has left, to be replaced by chief financial officer Colin Rowlandson. Rowlandson worked with backers GI Partners on the management buyout. He will be based in London, rather than at Yates's head office in Bolton, Lancashire. Chief executive Mark Jones said: "He's a mergers and acquisitions expert and we hope to use that expertise." Yates has been widely tipped as potential purchaser of rival group Laurel's 180 high-street bars, thought to be priced at about £150m. Also joining the Yates board is sales director Ed Aspel. He replaces Ian Webb, who was marketing director. Aspel has in the past worked as marketing director for Pizza Hut, Brannigan's and Bella Pasta. Buy this week's *Caterer* magazine for more industry news and analysis