Greene King names first female CEO in 227-year history
Greene King, the UK pub chain owned by CK Asset, has appointed Clair Preston-Beer as its first female chief executive in 227 years. She will succeed Nick Mackenzie in March next year.
Greene King, the UK's leading pub company and brewer owned by CK Asset (1113), has appointed its first female chief executive in its 227-year history. Clair Preston-Beer, currently chief digital and commercial officer, will take over the role in March next year, succeeding Nick Mackenzie, who will step down as CEO at the end of February and remain on the Greene King Board to support the transition.
Founded in 1799, Greene King is an integrated brewer and pub retailer with approximately 38,000 staff, operating about 2,500 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland, according to its website. Clair joined Greene King in 2020 as managing director of Greene King pubs before being appointed to chief operating officer in 2024 and chief digital and commercial officer in 2026.
She has over 27 years’ experience in operational and commercial roles across retail and leisure, including more than 16 years with Costa Coffee brand, the largest British coffee chain. “Clair has a fundamental understanding of our business and has played a significant role in shaping Greene King's progress in her leadership roles to-date,” said Gerald Ma, executive committee member at CK Asset.
According to CK Asset’s 2026 interim results, Hong Kong and mainland China contributed nearly 37 per cent of the company’s profit in the first half of 2026, while overseas operations accounted for around 63 per cent.