Brigid Simmonds has been Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association since September 2009. Under her leadership the organisation has led successful campaigns for three beer duty cuts and two freezes in duty. For pubs, specific help on business rates, extended licensing hours with no increase in licensing fees, have measurable financial outcomes.

After an 8-year Short Service Commission including a two year spell in the Ministry of Defence working on public relations, Brigid joined a firm of architects on PR and marketing before becoming Chief Executive of the umbrella organisation Business In Sport and Leisure (BISL) in 1992. She grew BISL to over 100 private sector companies.

Brigid’s book on Developing Partnerships in Sport and Leisure led to appointments to the Sport England Lottery Panel and ultimately the main board of Sport England where she was chairman of the project to build the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake in Caversham. She then became a Director and subsequently Chairman of the Sport and Recreation Alliance which represents Governing Bodies of Sport and is now a Vice President. She was a non-executive Director of Leicester City Football Club and is a lifelong supporter.

Brigid believes that brewing and pubs are an important part of the tourism sector and has twice been Chairman and is a current Director of the Tourism Alliance, which represents 50 different Trade Organisations and 200,000 businesses. She is also a former Trustee of GambleAware.

Brigid Simmonds is married with three children and lives in Sussex. She has run four London Marathons and enjoys running, tennis and music.

Brigid was awarded an OBE for Services to Sport in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list of June 2006. She was awarded the Shine Industry Expert Award for Women’s Achievements in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality in 2007 and the Leisure Report Industry Individual of the year award.