Thomas Heier has resigned from his position as chief executive of Wagamama UK, concluding a four-year tenure.
Heier, who joined the company as people director in 2017 and was promoted to chief executive in 2021, will be succeeded by Mark Chambers.
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Chambers, currently the chief financial officer at Wagamama’s parent company, the Restaurant Group (TRG), will assume his new role from 2 June 2025.
Chambers has a history of leadership within TRG, having previously managed the leisure and concessions division, which includes brands such as Chiquito’s and Frankie & Benny’s.
TRG sold these brands to Big Table Group for £7.5m ($10m) in 2023.
Heier stated: “Whilst I’m extremely excited about what comes next, I leave knowing the business is in a strong position for the future, and I look forward to watching the next phase of growth and innovation. I’ll always be cheering the team on from the sidelines.”
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By GlobalDataWagamama operates a portfolio of 160 restaurants across the UK and has expanded its brand internationally with 50 franchised locations in Europe and the Middle East.
The chain has established a presence in the US with seven restaurants.
In parallel to the leadership change in the UK, Wagamama’s North American division is also undergoing a shift.
Stephen Judge will take over as CEO on 9 June.
Judge, a UK native with a background as a professional chef, currently serves as the CEO at Gibsons Restaurant Group and has previously overseen café operations at Hard Rock International.
Judge will report directly to TRG chief executive Andy Hornby, who is expanding his responsibilities to include Wagamama’s international operations.
TRG came under the ownership of Apollo Global Management following acquisition in 2023.
It has recently announced that it is in talks to acquire a significant number of sites from pub and restaurant chain Oakman Group.
