C&C Group plc has announced that Chris Browne OBE and Sarah Newbitt are appointed to its board—effective 2 October and today, respectively—as independent non-executive directors.

C&C is a vertically integrated premium drinks FTSE 250 company, headquartered in Dublin, that manufactures, markets and distributes branded beer, cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks across the UK and Ireland. Its brands include Bulmers, Tennent’s and Magners.

Browne has held a number of senior leadership and executive roles within the aviation and travel industries, including at First Choice Airways, Thomson Airways and TUI. She joined EasyJet plc in 2016 and served as chief operating officer until 2019.

Browne is currently a NED of Vistry Group, Kier Group and Constellium (a NYSE-listed aluminium products manufacturer headquartered in Paris).

Newbitt spent 25 years with Unilever, holding various international roles across operations and general management, most recently as VP supply chain UK & Ireland, and gained substantial M&A integration experience.

Currently a non-executive director of Ellab A/S, a Danish validation and monitoring company, Newbitt is also a NED and chair of the remuneration committee of High Value Manufacturing Catapult, a group of UK manufacturing research, development and innovation centres.

Ralph Findlay, C&C Group executive chair, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Chris and Sarah to the board and look forward to drawing on their diverse and extensive public company expertise across operations, logistics, international consumer goods, supply chain management and sustainability, for the benefit of the group in the years ahead.”