Vaux takes on Holsten man to run marketing

Vaux Breweries, the Sunderland-based brewer with 950 pubs in the North and Midlands, has appointed former Holsten sales director Doug Trotman as its new sales and marketing director.

The role covers marketing across Vaux’s extensive brand portfolio, which includes Ward’s Best Bitter, the Vaux Bitter range, Double Maxim and Samson. Trotman will also oversee marketing for the 800 tenanted and 165 managed pubs.

He will be responsible for the beer brands and will also look after product wholesaling, tenancies and the retail division.

Trotman has worked in a variety of roles across the drinks industry and left Holsten about six months ago. It is unclear where he has worked since then.

Vaux has been without a marketing director for a year. Observers say that marketing has been largely ignored by the company, and that it is now to put more emphasis on marketing its brands.

Last year, Vaux was hit by speculation in the City that parent the Vaux Group was looking to sell its brewing interests.