Spirit Group poaches Brake Bros marketer

The Spirit Group, formerly Punch Retail, pub company has poached Brake Brothers marketing controller, Rory Carlin and appointed him to the newly created position of head of marketing, ahead of a flotation.

Carlin, who takes over responsibility for the company’s &£3m marketing budget, will report to commercial director Andrew Knight. Knight was responsible for marketing, but will be concentrating on the eventual flotation of the business.

Spirit Group’s managed pub portfolio includes Mr Q’s, Q’s, Bar Room Bar and Punch Food Pubs.

Spirit Group changed its name last week in preparation for a future flotation of the company. Its sister company Punch Pub Company, which has a portfolio of 4,200 leased pubs, is also being prepared for flotation. Punch Group owns both companies.

Carlin was marketing controller for frozen food at Brake Brothers for three years. Prior to that, he was head of marketing at the Mansfield brewery for seven years, but left before its takeover by Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries in 1999.

He says: “It’s early days yet, but I have no plans to change our creative agencies in the short to medium term.”

The group uses Black Cat, Momentum and Greystone as creative agencies. Creative, Seat and Pure Leisure Marketing handle smaller jobs tasks, as pub launches.