Whitbread reshuffles its key management

Leisure group Whitbread has made a number of senior management changes across its Costa Coffee, Pizza Hut and Pub Restaurant divisions.

The moves have been sparked by the departure of Phil Urban, the managing director of Pub Restaurants, who has left the company. It is not known if he has a job to go to. He has been replaced by Costa managing director Mark Phillips.

Pizza Hut managing director John Derkach replaces Phillips at Costa. A replacement for Derkach has yet to be appointed.

The changes were made as the company announced its results for the financial year to March 2. It reported total pre-tax profits of &£181.1m, a 13.1% increase on last year’s profits of &£160.1m.

Whitbread also announced it is putting its Pizza Hut and TGI Friday’s businesses under review and is selling off 250 pubs as part of a strategic review of the business.

Whitbread is understood to be planning to focus on its Costa chain, Premier Travel Inn hotels and David Lloyd health clubs. It revealed a strategy to boost investment in Costa and double the number of outlets to 1,000 by 2010.

It also plans to open its first Premier Travel Inn in Dubai.