Chiquito owner serves up a new chief executive
THE RESTAURANT Group, the owner of Chiquito and Frankie & Bennys restaurant chains, said yesterday that it has promoted the head of its leisure business Danny Breithaupt to the role of chief executive.
Breithaupt, who has worked at The Restaurant Group for over 10 years, will take over as chief executive at the beginning of September, replacing Andrew Page who is stepping down after more than 12 years at the helm.
Page intends to retire in August.
Chairman Alan Jackson said: “[Breithaupt] is a highly experienced, senior member of the company’s executive team and has been instrumental in developing and steering our leisure business to its current market leading position.”
Breithaupt started his career at Whitbread, the Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner, before spending ten years at Tragus, the restaurant group behind Cafe Rouge and Strada.
He joined Restaurant Group as operations director of Caffe Uno, in 2001, which was the same year that Page and chairman Alan Jackson were brought on board to help turn the struggling company around.
Investec analyst James Hollins said replacing Page with Breithaupt was the most “seamless and sensible approach” and “likely ensures that the group’s much lauded strategy... continues unabated.”
Shares in Restaurant Group closed flat yesterday at 700p.
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