BrewDog boss James Watt quits after 17 years and 'toxic' workplace claims
The Brewdog chief executive has announced he will be stepping down from the company
BrewDog boss James Watt is stepping down as chief executive of the brewery company after 17 years.
He will hand over the reins to chief operating officer James Arrow, but will remain with the group as a non-executive director on the board where he will continue to advise the group on strategy. The BrewDog founder said his new role will be “captain and co-founder” and by stepping away he will be able to focus on his other projects and interests. He will also retain his 21% shareholding in the business.
In a LinkedIn post, Mr Watt said: “After 17 fantastic years as chief executive, I have decided to transition into a new role in the business, one of ‘captain and co-founder’ – and James Arrow will pick up the reins as chief executive as our business pushes forward into our next phase of growth. In my new role I will remain as a board member, a director and I will also be part time strategic adviser to the business and our to leadership team.”
However, his tenure at the company has been marred by controversy over the last few years. The company was accused of having a “culture of fear” within the business, with “toxic attitudes” towards staff. In an open letter published on Twitter, now X, in 2021, 61 former workers accused BrewDog of treating its workers like “objects” as the focus was “growth at all costs”. The letter alleged: “Being treated like a human being was sadly not always a given for those working at BrewDog.”
The BrewDog boss apologised to staff and since insisted the group has made changes after the open letter was published. However, in January, the company also faced a backlash after revealing it would no longer hire new staff on the “real” living wage, instead paying the lower legal minimum wage. At the time, new BrewDog workers were set to be hired on the legal minimum wage of £10.42 an hour for those aged 23 and over which was below the independently verified living wage of £10.90 that existing staff got.
Commenting on the move, The Punks with Purpose campaign group of former staff said: “BrewDog management’s decision to revoke a long-standing commitment to the real Living Wage proves that there is no principle too dearly held for them to abandon.” The group also criticised the dropping of BrewDog’s scheme in which 50% of a bar’s profits were shared with staff. However, the company defended the move saying that scheme was changed to a 10% profit share and £1 per hour bonus for good customer service after a staff vote last year.
James said on announcing his departure from the top job: “During my time at the helm of BrewDog, there have been highs and lows, up and downs, crazy successes and incredibly hard challenges. When I look back on the last 17 years (119 Dog Years) my overwhelming feeling is one of gratitude.”
He said he was “grateful for the tough times too, for the learnings they provided, the resolve they instilled and the perspective they offered”. Adding that he planned to “take a bit of time off, to travel, to spend more time with my family and friends. I am also looking forward to being able to dedicate some more time to my other business interests.”