News & Updates
Marston’s appoints two new Operations Directors to its leadership team, as it accelerates growth throughout the South
21st September 2026
Marston’s has appointed two new Operations Directors to drive growth opportunities in the South of England and Wales, after reshaping its regional operational structure to better reflect the evolving priorities and geographical spread of its nationwide estate of more than 1,300 pubs, bars and inns.
Under the new structure, Marston's operations will expand from three divisions into five: North, Midlands, East, South East and South West.
To support this change, Lee Nixon and Jo Hall have joined Marston’s senior leadership team as Operations Directors for the South East and South West, respectively, reporting into Chief Operating Officer Neil Campbell.
Lee Nixon joins Marston’s with more than 25 years' experience across the UK hospitality industry, having held senior operational leadership roles with Honest Burgers, Ole & Steen, Costa Coffee and Le Pain Quotidien.
Meanwhile Jo Hall, previously Head of Retail Operations (Convenience) for the Co-op, brings to the role more than 20 years' experience leading large-scale retail operations across organisations including BP, Sainsbury's and Lidl.
They will work closely with the pub group’s long-standing Operations Directors:
- John Green, who will continue to lead Marston’s North division
- Claire Robertson, who will now spearhead the Group’s Midlands division; and
- Jared Sedgwick, who will take on leadership of Marston’s new East division.
The new structure is intended to bring Marston’s senior operational leaders closer to individual pubs in each region, enhancing their ability to respond quickly to opportunities and challenges in their divisions while supporting sustainable growth across the estate.
Neil Campbell, Chief Operating Officer at Marston’s, said:
“Jo and Lee bring a wealth of operational leadership experience to Marston’s, along with fresh perspectives and a shared passion for pubs, people and performance. They will play an important role in helping bring our new operational model to life while going after new opportunities in the South of England and supporting our ambition to deliver everyday excellence across every part of our business.”
Lee Nixon, Operations Director for the South East, said:
“Pubs play an essential role in communities across the country and Marston's has some fantastic teams and operators. I'm excited to be joining at such an exciting time for the business and look forward to getting out into our pubs, understanding what makes each one successful and supporting continued growth across the South East.”
Jo Hall, Operations Director for the South West, said:
“Marston's has a strong pub estate, talented teams and a clear strategy for the future. I'm delighted to be joining the business and look forward to working closely with our pub teams and partners across the South West to help them build on their success and deliver great experiences for our guests.”