AG Barr has appointed former Sainsbury’s CFO Darren Shapland as its new board chair, effective immediately.
In a statement issued on 1 September, AG Barr announced that Shapland has also been appointed as an independent non‑executive director.
Shapland will serve on the group’s remuneration and ESG committees and will chair the nomination committee, according to AG Barr.
He succeeds Susan Barratt, who served as interim non‑executive chair since January; Barratt will resume her role as senior independent director.
Euan Sutherland, AG Barr’s chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Darren to AG Barr. His extensive consumer, commercial and financial expertise will be invaluable as we drive long‑term shareholder value, strengthen our brand, and execute our growth strategy.”
AG Barr noted that Shapland brings more than 40 years of extensive experience in finance and operations across retail and consumer sectors.
Prior to joining AG Barr, Shapland served as non‑executive chair of Hollywood Bowl Group and as an independent non‑executive director at JD Sports Fashion.
His previous board roles include chairmanships of Topps Tiles and Poundland, and directorships with audit committee oversight at Ladbrokes and Ferguson.
Beyond Sainsbury’s, Shapland previously served as CFO for Carpetright and Superdrug, and was formerly CEO of Carpetright.
In an August trading update, AG Barr reaffirmed its full‑year profit outlook, even though supply chain disruptions impacted the strong revenue growth recorded in the first half of the UK soft‑drinks business.
The company projected revenue of approximately £246 million ($330.8 million) for the 26‑week period ending 1 August, representing an 8 % increase versus the prior year.
AG Barr said its core brands—Irn‑Bru, Rubicon and Boost—are performing strongly, while weakness in Funkin and Barr Brands partially offset those gains.
AG Barr will announce its first‑half financial results on 29 September.
