The Ivy Collection names first CEO
At the same time, Campbell has been appointed as executive chairman of Bill’s Restaurants, which is also backed by the serial sector investor Richard Caring.
Confirming the appointment, Caring told BigHospitalty's sister site MCA: “We’re happy that he’s joining the team.”
Campbell joined Wagamama in 2014, and was credited with reviving its fortunes into one of the best performing operators in the sector, doubling its value over four years in charge.
As revealed by MCA earlier this year, Campbell has been working as consultant for the Nick Jones-led Soho House. It is understood he maintains a non-executive role.
The Ivy group currently operates 24 sites under its Ivy Cafe, Grill and Brasserie brands, with several more restaurants in its pipeline for this year.
The first Ivy Market Grill opened in Covent Garden in 2014 as a more casual spin-off of the iconic London theatre land restaurant, which reached its 100th birthday in 2017.
MCA revealed last month that Yishay Malkov, one of the key driving forces behind the development and expansion of the Ivy Collection, had left the business.
Malkov, the former restaurant director of Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and general manager at Roka Restaurants, joined the Ivy Collection in May 2014 and as its executive operations director played a key part in growing the business into a national presence.
MCA understands that under his direction the business is on target to produce annual EBITDA of c£20m, with turnover already nudging over the £100m-mark.
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