Finance director switches his brew to join HP Bulmer

ALAN FLOCKHART, finance director of Wolverhampton and Dudley, the brewer, is switching his drinks to take up a similar position at HP Bulmer, the cider maker, writes Heather Connon.

Mr Flockhart replaces Mike Ward, Bulmer's finance director for six years, who last month filled the same post at Lloyds Chemists. Mr Ward replaced Dick Steele, who is now finance director of Storehouse.

Mr Flockhart will finish a number of projects under way at Wolverhampton and Dudley but is expected to be at Bulmer by the end of the year. Wolverhampton and Dudley said the parting was amicable and it was sad to see him go.

John Rudgard, Bulmer's chief executive, said that Mr Ward, 38, 'obviously saw another sizeable opportunity' at Lloyds. 'We did not wish to see him go, he was a very able person.'

Bulmer was attracted to Mr Flockhart as a replacement because of his track record with a public company in the brewing industry, he said.

Wolverhampton and Dudley's market capitalisation, at pounds 350m, is about 75 per cent higher than Bulmer's pounds 200m but, unlike the brewer, Bulmer is a national drinks company. It has also grown rapidly over the past five years and its management has a dynamic reputation.