Mike Tye to join Restaurant Group board

The Restaurant Group announced the appointment of Mike Tye to its board on Friday, as a non-executive director and chairman of the remuneration committee.

Tye had extensive experience in the leisure and hospitality sector, the FTSE 250 firm said, and until recently was the CEO of Spirit Pub Company, where he led its successful establishment as a public company following its split from Punch Taverns.

He was also a director of Punch Taverns until August 2011, and prior to that held a variety of managing director roles at Whitbread, including with David Lloyd Leisure, Premier Inn and Costa.

Tye would be joining the board on 4 April.

The Restaurant Group said that in line with best practice, senior independent director and chairman of the remuneration committee Tony Hughes would retire from the board following the annual general meeting on 12 May 2016.

"The board wishes to thank Tony for his contribution during his tenure. Simon Cloke, non-executive director, will be appointed senior independent director," the board said in a statement.