Controversial BrewDog CEO James Watt Steps Down From Executive Leadership After 17 Years

(Photo: BrewDog)

James Watt, the oft-discussed co-founder of Scottish beer giant BrewDog, is stepping down from his role as CEO after 17 years on the job.

On Wednesday, Watt announced that he will transition to the newly-created position of “captain and co-founder” while remaining a majority shareholder in the company. In his place, former Chief Operating Officer James Arrow will take on the role of CEO.

“During my time at the helm of BrewDog, there have been highs and lows, up and downs, crazy successes and incredibly hard challenges. When I look back on the last 17 years (119 Dog Years) my overwhelming feeling is one of gratitude,” Watt wrote in a LikedIn post. “I am also grateful for the tough times too, for the learnings they provided, the resolve they instilled and the perspective they offered.”

Since hitting the market in 2008, BrewDog has grown from a small-scale “punk” brewery to an international alcohol icon. In addition to beer, the company has opened over 100 bars and three hotels while venturing into vodka, gin, rum and tequila. In Feb. 2023, BrewDog inked a deal with Budweiser to expand its IPA range into China.

Throughout its meteoric rise, the brewer has found itself at the center of a steady stream of controversies, many of which have revolved around Watt.

The company has been accused of fostering a “toxic culture” by ex-employees who alleged inappropriate behavior toward bartenders and staff. In an open letter published in 2021, former employees wrote:

“Put bluntly, the single biggest shared experience of former staff is a residual feeling of fear. Fear to speak out about the atmosphere we were immersed in, and fear of repercussions even after we have left.”

Watt publicly apologized, though contended that the company had “thousands of employees with positive stories to tell.”

BrewDog faced further backlash in January for dropping salaries below the real minimum wage following unexpected trading losses. The brewer has also been accused of repeatedly ripping off packaging designs, running transphobic ad campaigns and recently failing to fulfill its pledge to plant 500,000 trees in the Scottish wilderness.

The brand says that Watt’s leadership transition has been planned since last year. In a LinkedIn post, Watt promised to nurture other up-and-coming startups and potentially start new ventures of his own.

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