Manchester hospitality platform EATMCR has changed ownership with hospitality marketing veteran Anna Gledson stepping into the role of Managing Director.
Anna, who previously served as Brand Strategy and Partnerships Lead for the Eat group, takes over from founders Jake Ansbro and Patrick Brown as the business looks to scale its operations and expand beyond the city.
She brings more than 15 years’ experience in hospitality marketing, including senior roles as Managing Director of The Manc Group, where she grew the business from one city to three and expanded the team from five to twenty. She has also held the position of CMO at GigPig UK and founded Think Agency.
Anna has worked with EATMCR for the past two and a half years, playing a role in shaping its partnerships and strategic direction while strengthening links across Manchester’s hospitality sector.
Her immediate focus will be on growing the Manchester-based team and increasing support for operators across the city and surrounding areas. Longer-term plans include expansion into other UK cities and the development of a programme of community-led events.
The transition follows investment from Shuffle, a hospitality rewards platform offering diners cashback, which is expected to support further growth and collaboration.
Anna said: “Manchester’s hospitality scene is one of the most exciting in the UK, and EATMCR has always been about celebrating the people behind it. I’m incredibly proud to take the reins and continue building a platform that supports and champions the industry.
“I’m also excited about the opportunity to take the passion, creativity and skill that sit at the heart of EATMCR to new cities, building teams and communities that champion and support the local food and drink scene across the UK.”
Saskia Philips will remain in the business as Social Video Creative, continuing to support the platform’s content and community growth.
Founders Ansbro and Brown added: “We created EATMCR in 2017 as a passion project – a platform to champion independent hospitality venues across the city. Never could we have imagined where we’d find ourselves nine years later: building a community of over 450,000 followers, collaborating with some of the biggest names in hospitality, leading a team of incredible creatives. Anna has been an integral part of the team for the past two years and has a deep understanding of both the ethos and the potential of the platform. As we step away, EATMCR couldn’t be in better hands, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.”
