Company Information

John May - Executive Chairman/Finance Director

John May is a principal of a boutique Chartered Accountancy practice, focussing on advising companies on finance raising, mergers and acquisitions, business strategies and entry onto Plus Markets and AIM. He was previously a Senior Partner at Horwath Clark Whitehill, a UK Accountancy firm, for 17 years, including 8 years on the Managing Board. Mr May is the Policy Director and Deputy Chairman of the Small Business Bureau Limited and Deputy Chairman of the Genesis Initiative, which are lobbying groups to Government on behalf of small businesses. He is also a Conservative Borough Councillor.

Mr May qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1974 having previously gained his DIA at the University of Bath Management School in 1970 and his BA from the University of London in 1969. He was previously Finance Director of AIM listed London & Boston Investments Plc and a Non-Executive Director of AIM listed Croma Group Plc.

Alan Reid - Non-Executive Director

Alan Reid was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Fosters China Limited, a subsidiary of the globally recognized Fosters Brewing Group. He was directly responsible for the operations of three joint venture breweries located in China involving an investment in excess of USD 150 million. During the early nineties, he was also the Commercial Minister and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Australian Embassy in Beijing. As a result he has a wide range of political and commercial contacts throughout Asia.

Mr Reid is currently the Managing Director and owner of Intercedent Limited, an investment and advisory boutique specialising in advising western companies on setting up and operating in Greater China.

Mr Reid has lived and worked full time in China and Hong Kong since 1985, is a fluent Mandarin speaker and is based in Beijing.

Gerard Thompson - Non-Executive Director

Gerard Thompson is currently a partner in City & Westminster Consultants LLP, a corporate advisory consultancy assisting companies seeking to go public by making principal-based investments. He is a senior management executive with financial, marketing and administrative skills including corporate governance functions and in particular knowledge of Remuneration and Audit committee functions (including USA Sarbanes-Oxley provisions). He has extensive experience as a principal in investment banking, corporate finance, venture capital, pre-IPO to IPO funding.


Mr Thompson has been involved with a number of AIM listed plc companies; he is currently the Executive Director of Tomco Energy plc. Mr Thompson became an accredited Mediator in 2005 and subsequently became a partner in Wilcox-Thompson LLP which provides alternate dispute resolution services.

Geoffrey Dart - Chairman

Geoffrey Dart has over 30 years of extensive international merchant banking experience and has been involved in many mergers and acquisitions in the international market place, focusing on Asia, Europe and America. Geoffrey has participated in many IPOs and has acted as Chairman, Director or advisor in each case. Geoffrey has been a director of Harrell Hospitality Group Inc since 1990, a US based public company specialising in the development and management of hotels. HHG holds a number of hotel franchises including Marriott, Sheraton and Holiday Inn. He is also Chairman of First Merchant Capital UK Ltd (“FMC”); a financial services company involved in merchant banking activities and is a director of a number of other private companies.

Alan Reid - Non-Executive Director

For details of Alan Reid refer to his profile above.

Paul Watt - Executive Director

Paul Watt is a director of China Pub Company Hong Kong Limited, China Pub Macau Ltd and China Pub Food and Beverage Management Company Limited (CPC subsidiaries). He has been living and working in the greater region for 19 years. His experience in operating pubs and bars spans 40 years having started business in Australia. His practical experience of both Asia and the bar business is a valuable asset to the Group.

Ian Watt - Head of Compliance

Ian Watt has worked in the Asian bar industry since 2000 and is charged with all administration and compliance aspects of the operating businesses. Prior to moving to Asia in 2000, he acted as Executive Director of listed pub company, Kobe Capital Ltd in Australia. He has worked within the hospitality industry in Australia for many years and brings valuable knowledge to the group.

Paul Buxton - Business Development Manager

Paul Buxton was recently appointed Manager Business Development and will be responsible for overseeing CPC’s opening of outlets in Hong Kong, Macau and China. Paul has been living and working in Hong Kong since 1998.

A well known figure on the Hong Kong hospitality scene, Paul was previously Managing Director of Great Vision Limited and was the inspiration behind the opening of Hong Kong’s popular Bulldog’s Bar & Grill and Quarterdeck Seafood Restaurant & Grill outlets. Prior to this he held the position of Managing Director Mad Dogs International, owners of Hong Kong’s Mad Dogs and Joe Bananas food and beverage outlets.