PGB Board

The board are responsible for representing the views of both tenants/lessees and Landlord Companies. Read below for more information on the board composition.

James Anderson - England & Wales

Chair - PGB England & Wales

James is a partner at leading licensing solicitors, Poppleston Allen with offices in Nottingham and London.

He has been practising in Licensing Law for over 30 years and specialising only in that area for the last 25 years.

He has been a Partner at Poppleston Allen for 17 years.

He advises on the full range of licensing issues, including transactional work licensing (clauses in Agreement and Leases), due diligence, new licences, variations, and enforcement.

He acts for clients across the board in relation to styles of operation but principally pubs, restaurants, casual dining, and the late-night market.

However, following two of his favourites past times, the majority of work is in the pub and restaurant sector, particularly pubs, and he has particular expertise and affiliation to the great British pub.

He advises premium London based retailers, Fullers & Youngs together with other family brewers and a number of independent operators.

For a number of years James has sat on the PICAS panel, becoming its Chair 4 years ago and has recently been appointed the Chair of the umbrella organisation the Pub Governing Body.

Bill Sharp - England & Wales

Guild of Master Victualler

Bill is one of the founder member Guild of Master Victualler and was the Parliamentary Representative of that body for many years and also a Fellow of the BII.

Bill has a long established history as a working licensee since 1970 and ran a leasehold pub in Central London.

Martin Caffrey - England & Wales

Federation of Licensed Victuallers Association

Martin came into the industry straight from school at the age of 18 working for a wine and spirit company achieving a diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education trust, progressed through area management with John Smiths Brewery in the South Yorkshire area. Progressed through ranks continuing to do multi-site management, until i joined the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations 5 years ago in 2009 as Operations Director providing guidance to members on Employment law, rent reviews, L&T issues, Liaising with Government on all aspects of the licensed trade . At that time sat on the PIRRS board now the PGB.

Nick Griffin - England & Wales

The Licensees Association

With a background in retailing, Nick was previously a manager of the Food Hall in Selfridges, Oxford Street, Nick took has been the Managing Director of Pleisure Ltd since the mid ’90’s. In his time he has been part of a team that has won several industry awards and also a personal outstanding contribution award in 2003. As a tenant himself and head of the growing Brighton & Hove Licensees Association, with members throughout the South East and national body. The Licensees Association he has 20 years of experience of dealing with leasehold and tenancy issues.

Jayson Perfect - England & Wales

Group Managing Director at The Liberation Group

Jayson Perfect joined the Liberation Group, including Butcombe Brewery, pubs and Inns, in 2017 as Managing Director. He was appointed to Group Managing Director in 2020 and is responsible for the estate of 126 tenanted and managed pubs across the UK, Jersey and Guernsey. Jayson was previously tenanted trade director at Palmers brewery for five years and prior to this spent 14 years at Fuller, Smith and Turner in the managed house division. Originally from South Africa, Jayson has over 23 years of hospitality experience in restaurants, pubs and breweries from single site management to directorship. Jayson is a huge rugby fan and enjoys many outdoor activities.

Mike Clist - E&W & Scotland

Non Executive Director

Mike Clist is a Non Executive Director of the BII having been the Chief Executive Officer for the British Institute of Innkeeping from April 2016 until April 2020. The BII is the leading professional body representing individuals working across the licensed hospitality industry. Mike has over 40 years’ experience in the pub industry the majority of which has been spent in the Tenanted and Leased sectors. Before joining the BII he was the Operations Director for the Tenanted Division of Fuller, Smith & Turner, an independent, vertically integrated family brewer and pub retailer. He was responsible for the Tenanted and Leased Division of over 200 pubs and was promoted to Director there in 2007.

Paul Togneri - Chair Scotland

Chair - PGB Scotland

Paul Togneri is the Senior Policy Manager for the Scottish Beer & Pub Association based in Edinburgh. Prior to joining the trade in 2016, Paul worked with politicians across Holyrood, Westminster & Brussels on policy and communications.

An avid pub-goer and football supporter, Paul studied Political Science at the University of Edinburgh and George Washington University.

Paul Waterson - Scotland

Chief Executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA)

Paul Waterson has worked in his family’s long established licensed trade business for over 50 years. During that time he has ran the family’s Pub and Hotel Estate as well as Nightclubs, Off Sales and a Wholesale Wine, Spirits and Beer Company. He has been a member of The Scottish Licensed Trade Association for more than 40 years. He was elected National President of The S.L.T.A. in 1996 and in 1998 he was re-elected for an unprecedented third term.

He is a Past President of the Strathclyde Licensed Trade Association and a Past Chairman of the United Kingdom and Ireland L.T.A. In 2002 Paul Waterson became the first Chief Executive of The Scottish Licensed Trade Association in its 138 year history. He stood down in 2018 but continues to be The SLTA’s media spokesman.

He is a Past President of the Benevolent Society of the Licensed Trade of Scotland; Past Visitor (Chairman) of the Incorporation of Maltmen in Glasgow; he is a past Director and Executive Committee Member of Alcohol Focus Scotland, Scotland’s National Alcohol Charity. Paul has sat on a number of committees at the Scottish Parliament looking at licensed trade issues including, The Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership, The Ministerial Tobacco Control Committee and The Age Restricted Products Group; Paul was a member of the Expert Reference Group which looked into the White Paper on Licensing Reform before the new Licensing Act in 2005.

More recently Paul has been invited by the Government to sit on panels looking at reviewing the Personal License Holder qualification and the level of Liquor Licensing fees in Scotland.

He is on the Executive Committee and Board of the Best Bar None Scheme and in 2014 was asked to sit on the Visit Scotland Thistle Awards Industry Panel.

Paul Wishart - Scotland

Greene King National Operations Manager - Scotland

Started in the licensed trade in 1994 having worked for a combination of independent, medium sized and large hospitality businesses. Worked for five years as a general and area manager for Belhaven Pubs followed by almost eight years at Iona Pub Partnership, since 2015 working for Greene King Pub Partners in Scotland, initially as a Business Development Manager and now running the leased and tenanted business.

In 2016 won the ALMR Business Development Manager of the year award and in 2017 received a post graduate diploma in multi-unit leadership and strategy. Currently sitting on SBPA, UKH Scotland and BII Scotland trade organisations.

Jo Graham - Scotland

Scotland

Jo has a wealth of experience within the Licensed Trade and Hospitality sector, helping businesses to enhance performance and profitability by effective people and business management. She has owned and operated licensed premises so has a number of years hands-on experience in the trade.

Jo is also an experienced trainer, delivering practical, effective solutions using her experience to ensure her training is credible and relevant.

Jo is Managing Director of The Whisky Ambassador and is passionate about all things whisky and the contribution this can make to business success. Jo is the Chair for BII in Scotland and spends her spare time, what there is of it, sitting on the Children's Panel, being a leader within the Scout Organisation and with family and friends. She enjoys travelling and keeps fit by walking the dog, horse riding and swimming.

Leon Thompson - Scotland

Executive Director - UK Hospitality

Prior to joining UKHospitality Scotland in May this year, Leon worked as Government and Parliamentary Affairs Manager at VisitScotland.

Previous roles included communications manager at EventScotland and at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. UKHospitality Scotland is the leading voice for over 100 member businesses operating in Scotland, covering all aspects of hospitality including hotels, pubs and bars, nightclubs, restaurants, coffee shops and indoor leisure.

George Barnes - England & Wales

Property & Services Director - Shepherd Neame Ltd

George Barnes has worked for Shepherd Neame since 1978 and has been involved in Tenanted operations throughout this period.
He is currently Property & Services Director. George is also a Fellow of BII. He is a Chartered Surveyor.

Kate Nicholls - England & Wales

Chief Executive of UK Hospitality

Kate Nicholls is Chief Executive of UK Hospitality, the leading trade body representing pubs, bars and casual dining businesses. She has worked with the Association since 1998, initially as an external consultant and subsequently with in-house responsibility for public affairs and communications since 2003. She was appointed Strategic Affairs Director in 2010, to the Board in 2013 and was appointed Chief Executive in September 2014.

After gaining a degree in English and a post-graduate diploma in competition law, Kate worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament before joining Whitbread as Government Relations Manager within the Strategic Affairs Department, advising the Board on political matters and M&A activity. Kate was Associate Director at one of the largest independent public affairs companies – heading up the Competition & Consumer Affairs Unit - before establishing her own strategic communications consultancy in 2000.

Kate is a graduate of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and Kings College London

Emma McClarkin - England & Wales

Chief Executive - BBPA

Emma McClarkin was appointed Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association in 2019.

In her role she leads the organisation as it champions the issues that matter to the beer and pub industry. These are causes members of the BBPA are passionate about; ranging from promoting beer as the nation’s drink of choice, to campaigning against increases to beer duty and business rates that are so damaging to community pubs.

Prior to joining the BBPA, Emma served as a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands for 10 years. A true beer lover, during this time she also served as Vice President of the European Parliament Beer Club as well. In addition to this, she has also held posts including Chairman of the Commonwealth Forum and Director of Global Policy for the Sports Integrity Global Alliance. She is currently a Special Advisory Board Member at the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and a Director of the Ivors Academy.

A political communications expert, Emma has a wealth of experience influencing regulatory frameworks, setting strategy and communicating messages on a UK, EU and International level. In addition, she is a known Trade specialist and negotiator.

Outside of work, Emma is a big fan of music and sport, closely following the rugby, football and cricket – as well as watching them in her local pub!

Andy Tighe - E&W & Scotland

Policy Director - BBPA

Andy joined the BBPA as an economist/statistician in 1998 and moved into a senior policy role in the Brewing Department in 2004 before further promotions to Director of Brewing in 2010. Following an organisational restructure he was promoted, becoming the BBPA’s first Policy Director in December 2012.

Key Responsibilities:

- Overall lead on beer and pub policy matters
- Future Group Management (beer and pubs)
- Tax campaign development and support
- UK, European and global partner groups
- Brexit policy issues
- Industry statistics and economic research
- Oversight of Expert groups, industry guidance and best practice