Liberation Group

Liberation Group - Management Board

Mark Crowther - Chief Executive Officer

Mark was backed by LGV to lead the acquisition of the business in July 2008. His previous experience is from across the European pub, restaurant and drinks sectors, with previous roles including CEO of London Town tenanted pubs, On Trade MD for Carlsberg UK, General Manager Northern Europe for Diageo and General Manager with Allied Domecq managed pubs.

Mark is married with three children. He is also a Non-Executive Director sitting on the Board of Close Investments CTC and EIS schemes.

Declan Hearne - Finance Director

Declan qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986 and moved to Jersey where he spent 6 years in the accountancy profession with Coopers & Lybrand. In 1992 he joined Ann Street Group/CI Traders, previous publically quoted owners of this and other businesses, where he was Group Accountant and Company Secretary in a head office role. He was appointed Finance Director of the pub estate and drinks wholesaling businesses in April 2003, following a group reorganisation, a role that has continued with the formation of the Liberation Group in 2008.

Kenrick Brooks - Pub Operations Director

Kenrick was appointed Operations Director in March 2006 and continues in this role following the formation of the Liberation Group. Prior to this appointment, Kenrick spent three years as a Director of the UK based Blubeckers and Edwinns Restaurant Group, being heavily involved in the expansion of the Blubeckers brand. The first eleven years of his career was spent in hotel management, rising to Regional Business Manager, before moving to a variety of both small and large pub, bar and restaurant companies, holding a number of senior management positions.

Martin Flageul - Managing Director - Victor Hugo

Martin Flageul is the Managing Director of Victor Hugo Limited, the leading drinks supplier in Jersey with a portfolio including many of the market's most important brands of lagers, beers, wines, spirits, liqueurs, soft drinks and mineral waters.

Previously Managing Director of G. Orange & Co Ltd, he left to join the Ann Street Brewery Company to form Victor Hugo Wines in 1980. After many changes including acquisitions and mergers he became a shareholder in The Liberation Group in 2008 and continues to head the Victor Hugo operation in Jersey.

Amongst Martin's many accolades from around the world in the drinks industry, he is an Officier of the Ordre de Coteaux de Champagne and also of Les Gastronomes de la Mer. He is an experienced lecturer and regular wine writer and became a graduate of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, gaining his Diploma in 1992.

David Robilliard - Managing Director - Bucktrout and Company Limited

David joined Bucktrouts the leading drinks supplier in Guernsey in 1982, starting in their retail sector before moving into wholesale in 1987 managing the trade Cash & Carry. During this time he took various courses in business studies and of course enjoying the odd WSET course.

In 1998 he became Customer Services Manager for the Group and Deputy General Manger in 2004 before heading up the Company in 2007. There were many acquisitions and mergers along the way and in July 2008 he became a shareholder in the newly formed Liberation Group and continues to head the Bucktrouts operation in Guernsey.

Because of the various positions he has held over the years David has a wealth of experience in all sectors of the business

Geraldine Davies - Company Secretary

Originally from Dublin Geraldine started working with our businesses in 1994 and following a transfer to the then quoted company's head office in 1999 she undertook the ICSA examinations to qualify as a chartered secretary in 2003. Following various mergers, acquisitions and group restructures in her role as Deputy Company Secretary, and having been heavily involved in the due diligence process for the sale of the pub estate and drinks businesses to The Liberation Group in July 2008, Geraldine left shortly thereafter to join The Liberation Group as Company Secretary.