James Taylor has stepped down as chief executive of BrewDog just three months after the Scottish brewer was acquired by US cannabis company Tilray Brands in a £33 million deal.
Taylor, who became CEO in March 2025 after serving as the company’s chief financial officer, is the third BrewDog chief executive to leave the role in just over two years.
Founder James Watt and his successor, James Arrow, also exited the position within a short period. BrewDog is not expected to appoint a direct replacement, as the company now operates under Tilray Brands, which acquired the business through a pre-pack administration deal following BrewDog’s collapse in March.
The brewer has faced significant financial challenges in recent years, recording losses of £59 million in 2023 and £30.5 million in 2022. Last October, the company announced job cuts after posting another £37 million loss, while nearly 2,000 pubs across the UK stopped stocking its products over the past two years.
At the time of its sale, BrewDog owed £553.8 million and left around £20 million in unpaid bills to nearly 500 creditors. The company also discontinued its spirits production to focus on its core beer brands, including its flagship Punk IPA.Since acquiring BrewDog, Tilray says it has invested about £50 million to stabilise the business by restoring supply chains, supporting payroll and rebuilding inventory.
The company also plans to renovate and maintain BrewDog’s bar estate as part of its recovery strategy. A BrewDog spokesperson thanked Taylor for leading the company through its ownership transition and wished him success in his future endeavours.
Founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, BrewDog rose to prominence as one of the UK’s leading craft beer brands. However, the company later faced workplace culture controversies, with former employees accusing management of fostering a toxic work environment. Watt later acknowledged he had been “too intense and demanding” before stepping down as CEO.
