The Court and Committees
In accordance with the Charter of Charles I, the Brewers’ Company is Governed by a Court (board) made up of the Master, the Upper, Middle and Renter Wardens and up to 28 Assistants. Court Assistants are appointed from the Livery by the Master and Wardens.
The Master is elected and installed annually at the Court meeting which takes place in July. Also elected and installed at this meeting are the Upper, Middle and Renter Wardens. Under normal circumstances, an individual elected as Renter Warden will progress through the ranks of Middle and Upper Warden, before becoming Master after three years.
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The Master 2026-27
Mr Stephen Gould
Born in Burton upon Trent (the national capital of brewing!) after graduating in Sociology from Staffordshire University, Stephen joined the Bass PLC Graduate programme in 1989 gaining invaluable experience in HR, Operations and Marketing over a 10-year period prior to becoming Operations Director for Punch Taverns PLC.
He joined the Board of Everards Brewery Ltd, a 6th generation family business based in Leicestershire in 2003 and was appointed Managing Director in 2005. Upon stepping down from the role in 2024, Stephen remains on the Board as Deputy Chair. He is also Chair of McMullen & Sons Ltd, another family brewer and pub operator which celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2027.
Awarded, in 2017, Outstanding Alumnus of The University of Oxford's Business School. Stephen is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts.
He is a Governor at Repton School, Derbyshire and a Director of The Repton Family of Schools which educates over 10,000 students globally.
Stephen owns a Property Placemaking and Advisory business supporting individuals, families, and companies in the public and private sector.
Upper Warden 2026-27
Mr Torquil Sligo-Young, Young's
Middle Warden 2026-27
Ms Victoria Segebarth, Asahi
Renter Warden 2026-27
Mr James Clarke, Hook Norton Brewery
Court 2026-27
Court Assistants include representatives from the Company's member breweries, as well as the Chairs of the Company's permanent committees and representatives from the governing bodies of its schools.
Staff
There are four full time members of staff at Brewers’ Hall and a part-time Archivist. The Clerk is the Chief Executive and reports to the Master and Wardens and the Court. He is supported by the Finance Director/Deputy Clerk whose main responsibility is overseeing the finances of the Company and its foundations and trusts. The Livery Manager is responsible for administrative support for the Company and its charities, as well as supporting the membership. The Beadle is responsible for the management of the Hall and the running of all functions within the Hall.