A Keighley-based brewery has appointed a new operations director.
Timothy Taylor & Co Limited has announced that Emma Gilleland will take on the role from September 15.
Ms Gilleland is currently the director of production at Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company.
She has also been the brewing director for three years and has had a career at Marston’s spanning more than 25 years, during which time she held roles as director of brewing, director of supply chain, and head brewer.
In 2014, she was the first woman to be awarded the All-Party Parliamentary Brewer of the Year.
Andrew Carter, chief executive officer of Timothy Taylor’s, said: “I am delighted that Emma will join our executive leadership team, bringing strong brewing and operational leadership capabilities into the business to build on the great work that has been done by Kevin Smithson during his time in the operations director role.
“We wish him well on his impending retirement.
“Timothy Taylor’s will continue to invest in brewing quality, our £9m capital programme in the Knowle Spring brewery is well advanced and our business remains focused on growing our leadership position in the cask ale market and brewing the highest quality cask ales, which our consumers and customers love.”
Ms Gilleland said: “I am very excited to be joining the executive leadership team at Timothy Taylor’s as operations director.
“I am looking forward to leading the operational team to further build on the success of Landlord and the beer portfolio that is underpinned by the passion for exceptional quality.”
Timothy Taylor began brewing beer in Cook Lane in the West Riding town of Keighley in 1858.
In 1863, he set up and built a larger brewery on the Knowle Spring where the company has remained ever since.
The brewery remains in the Taylor family and is now the last independent brewery of its type left in West Yorkshire.
Taylor’s is one of the few brewers still brewing cask ales in the same way it has always done.
Their ‘Landlord’ beer has won CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain and the Brewing Industry Awards Gold Medal four times
