UK – British brewing company Carlsberg UK and Marston’s have completed the process of merging their business operations to form Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company.

Following the merger, Carlsberg Marston announced the appointment of Paul Davies, a Calsberg executive as the new CEO of the Joint Venture.

The £780 million merger was initially announced in May, and was approved by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority last month.

Davies joins the new joint venture following a stint as managing director at Carlsberg Poland, a role he has held since 2019.

Davies has previously held other roles at Carlsberg in the UK and Sweden, and he also served as the vice-president of craft & speciality at Carlsberg Group.

Davies will lead a management team which includes executives from both Carlsberg and Marston’s Brewing Company (MBC).

Former MBC managing director Richard Westwood has been appointed as chief operating officer, integration; Adam Stubbs has been appointed chief financial officer; while current Marston’s CEO Ralph Findlay has been appointed as non-executive chairman of the new joint venture.

Following the completion of the merger, the former managing director of Carlsberg UK, Tomasz Blawat, has opted to leave Carlsberg.

Commenting on the development, Paul Davies, CEO, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company said: “This is a significant moment for us as we create a new, better beer company, with a sustainable future in UK brewing.”

 “I am delighted to lead Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company with the support of a new, experienced management team.”

Davies further noted that the new joint venture now has a rare opportunity to create a unique beer business which combines over 300 years of brewing heritage and an unrivalled portfolio of brands.

Under the deal, Carlsberg UK will own 60% of the new Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company with Marston’s holding 40% and receiving a cash payment of up to £273m.

The new business will offer a mix of Carlsberg’s mass-market lagers and Marston’s cask ale brands such as Hobgoblin and Pedigree, and will also be able to feed Carlsberg beers into Marston’s estate of around 1,400 UK pubs.

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