Adnams appoints Karen Hester as executive director
Adnams, the Suffolk brewer, distiller and retailer, has appointed Karen Hester to its main board as an executive director.
Taking up her new role in April 2015, Hester will be responsible for the operations of the Adnams brewery, distillery, hotels, pubs and shops.
Hester joined Adnams in 1988 as a part-time cleaner. After proressing in the areas of logistics, procurement and transport, she was appointed as operations director in 2007 and is now responsible for over 400 employees.
In 2008 she won the title of East of England Business Woman of the Year and in 2013 won the CBI First Women Business of the Year title in recognition of Adnams’ success in supporting women employees to reach their full potential.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Adnams chief executive Andy Wood said: “I am absolutely delighted for Karen, she has the tenacity and talent that has been allowed to flourish here at Adnams and is a terrific role model for others. Following the appointments of Bridget McIntyre and Nicky Dulieu, Karen will be the third woman to join our Main Board and will be our first female executive director.”
Hester added: “Adnams is a fantastic company which firmly believes in nurturing and developing its own people. I joined Adnams some 26 years ago and have been positively encouraged and supported throughout my career. I feel honoured and extremely proud to be the first female executive director to join the board and am looking forward to continuing to support others to develop their own careers.”
