Whitbread appoints Domino’s Pizza boss Paul CEO

Whitbread brands include hotel chain Premier Inn

(Picture: Premier Inn)

Whitbread owner of the Premier Inn hotel chain and Beefeater restaurants has appointed former Domino’s Pizza boss Dominic Paul as CEO.

He will succeed Alison Brittain, who is set to retire from her post next year following at the end of the financial period. Paul will join the Company early in January 2023.

He has previously been part of the Whitbread executive committee and managing director of Costa Coffee overseeing its growth before the sale of the business to Coca-Cola for £3.9 billion in 2019. 

Prior to this, Dominic was senior vice-president of international at Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. His experience in the travel and leisure industry also includes senior roles at easyJet, British Midland and British Airways.

Adam Crozier, Whitbread chairman, said: “We are delighted to welcome back Dominic to the group as our new CEO.  Following an extensive search and thorough evaluation of high-quality candidates we are confident Dominic’s great track record of growing and transforming consumer brands in the UK and internationally will help to lead Whitbread in the next stage of the group’s development.”

Paul said: “I am delighted to have been selected to return and lead Whitbread, a business with a fantastic heritage and an exciting future both in the UK and internationally.

“Whitbread has a well-founded strategy, a very strong customer proposition, and significant opportunities for future growth.  I am looking forward to working with Adam and the whole Whitbread team to deliver for our customers, teams, and shareholders.”

Brittain added: “It has been an enormous privilege to lead Whitbread during a period of significant expansion for our well-loved brands, in both the UK and in Germany.  

“The business has recovered from the pandemic well ahead of expectations and is continuing to trade strongly and gain market share.”