Rod Mckie

Biography

Rod McKie is one of the most successful operators in his industry today.  He is widely credited as having transformed the Welcome Break business and is known for his desire to give customers quality, choice and value.  Prior to Welcome Break, Rod was MD of Coffee Republic, where he was responsible for taking the brand from 16 units to over 90, in just three years. But it was his four years at Prêt a Manager, from 1994 where he became recognised as one of the major industry leaders.  McKie, who was born in 1961, started as an assistant manager at Betty’s restaurant in Bristol in 1982 before moving to Pizzaland as unit manager at London and US stores from 1983 to 1985. As operations manager at Whitbread’s TGI Friday’s, McKie boosted turnover from £9m to £26m in 18 months and unit operating profit from 16% to 24%. From 1991, he looked after themed food courts for Courtlands/Scotts Hospitality and, from 1992, he oversaw eleven Henry’s Café Bars for JA Devenish. As operations director at Prêt à Manger from 1994, McKie expanded the chain from 14 London stores to 74 across the UK. In 1998 he became managing director of Coffee Republic, where he brought the group into profit in 2001, completed two fund-raising rounds and rolled out the brand from 16 to 90 units. McKie joined Welcome Break in October 2001 as operations director and was promoted to his current role a year later.

Research Interest

Hotel Management