Kevin Bacon, the managing director of Jamie’s Italian International, has left the group as it streamlines its management team.
Bacon, who joined the growing chain that is spearheaded by Jamie Oliver last year, said he had parted on good terms with the company and was “looking at other opportunities”.
The international arm of the company will now be run by Simon Blagden, managing director of the UK business, after Bacon departed on 31 August.
BigHospitality also understands that the fledgling operator could be redrawing its international plans in a bid to concentrate on the UK arm of its business.
During his time with the group, Bacon, who was a former managing director at The Restaurant Group, had developed plans to take the fledging brand to Asia.
The company had hoped to open a string of company-managed sites in the territory run in partnership with Tranic Franchising, an intermediary company based out of Hong Kong.
International expansion 'going ahead'
Despite this deal a Jamie’s Italian is yet to open in the region, with the first international outlet set to be launched in Dubai later this year.
Bacon told BigHospitality's sister publication M&C Report: “It was a great job and I had a good two years in the role but I am now currently looking at other opportunities.
“I parted on very good terms with the team there.”
When asked about expansion of the brand abroad, Bacon replied: “They are still going ahead. Dubai will be opening later this year but I can understand their decision to want all restaurants under the control of one managing director.”
Jamie’s Italian – the brainchild of Oliver and his mentor Gennaro Contaldo – launched in 2007 in Oxford and now has 14 sites in the UK, with further restaurants planned for Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol and Manchester.
A spokesman for the company said: “Kevin Bacon has left the Jamie Oliver Group of Companies by mutual consent and we thank Kevin for his important contribution over the last two years.
“Simon Blagden, formerly managing director of Jamie's Italian, has now been promoted to group managing director, restaurants and he is now responsible for Jamie's Italian UK and international, Fifteen and Barbecoa.”
Martyn Leek is news editor at BigHospitality's sister publication, M&C Report.