AG Barr appoints Darren Shapland as board chair

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AG Barr has appointed former retail and consumer executive Darren Shapland as independent non-executive director and chair of the board, as the drinks group continues to pursue its growth strategy.

Shapland took up the role on 1 September 2026, bringing four decades of financial, operational and governance experience across major UK retail, leisure and consumer businesses.

He currently serves as non-executive chair of Hollywood Bowl Group and as an independent non-executive director at JD Sports Fashion. His previous board positions include non-executive chair of Topps Tiles and Poundland, as well as non-executive director and audit committee chair at Ladbrokes and Ferguson.

His executive career includes senior leadership roles at Burton Group, followed by chief financial officer positions at Superdrug, Carpetright and J Sainsbury. He subsequently became chief executive officer of Carpetright.

At AG Barr, Shapland will also chair the nomination committee and serve on the remuneration and ESG committees.

The appointment follows a period of interim leadership for the board. Susan Barratt, who served as interim chair, will resume her position as senior independent director. Louise Smalley, meanwhile, steps down as interim senior independent director but will remain on the board as an independent non-executive director and chair of the remuneration committee.

AG Barr CEO Euan Sutherland said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome Darren to AG Barr. His wealth of consumer, commercial, and financial expertise will be invaluable as we continue to drive long-term value for our shareholders, build our brand momentum, and execute our growth strategy.”

Shapland said AG Barr's “unique heritage” and portfolio of brands made the business well positioned for its next stage of development.

“I am delighted to be taking over as Chair at such a pivotal time in the Company's journey,” he said. “I look forward to working with Euan and Susan, and the rest of the Board and executive leadership team to support the business in achieving its long-term strategic objectives.”

The appointment comes as AG Barr continues to develop its portfolio of established drinks brands and pursue long-term growth under its existing leadership team