Rupert Clevely steps down as Geronimo Inns managing director

Clevely, who co-founded Geronimo Inns in 1995, will step down as an executive director of Young's and the managing director of Geronimo Inns on 2 April.

He will be replaced on the Young's board by Ed Turner who is currently serving as the commercial director of the London-based firm, a post he has held since 2011.

Right time​

As managing director of Geronimo Inns, Turner will now be responsible for marketing, training and recruitment in all managed pubs - both Young's and Geronimo venues.

"I just felt it was the right time for Young's and Geronimo having been at the helm for 12 or 13 years," Clevely told BigHospitality.

"I felt it was the right time for someone else to take it on and no better man than Ed who has worked with me for nearly 14 years. He knows the business intimately well. I wouldn't have wanted to pass it on without knowing it was going to the right person," he added.

Turner originally joined Geronimo Inns in 1999 working up from his role as an operations director to eventually become commercial director before the business was acquired by Young's in 2010.

Expansion​

Geronimo currently operates 33 pubs across the capital and beyond, including The Cow in Westfield Stratford which last year spawned The Calf​ - a pop-up drinking and dining venue to mark the nearby London 2012 Olympic Games. 

The company, last year named Pub Company of the Year in the Restaurant magazine R200 Awards,​ has been in a period of relative consolidation in the last year following a flurry of new openings. However, under Turner's leadership, Clevely revealed the brand would be returning to the acquisition trail.

"Staying on as a non-exec is very exciting because it allows me to support Ed and the team as and when needs be. We are very much on the case to open new sites and we would like to open three or four sites this year if we can find them. Our target is to grow," he added.

Clevely revealed he had 'lots of ideas' for his free time which would now be created after stepping aside from the day-to-day operations.

The former champagne executive committed to staying in the hospitality industry and said he had a few plans in the pipeline. 

Young's​

Announcing the board changes, Nicholas Bryan, chairman of Young's, thanked Clevely for his hard work. 

"These changes represent a smooth and effective succession plan within Geronimo," he said. 

"In Ed, we have a ready-made successor who has spent many years working with Rupert to grow Geronimo, and who will bring great vigour and energy to his new role as we develop the business further.

"We have very strong leadership in place to continue driving the profitable growth of both businesses," Bryan concluded.