THE director-general of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Miles Templeman is the new non-executive chairman of Shepherd Neame, the country’s oldest brewer.

To celebrate, the branch held a "super pub hub" at the Faversham brewery at which 50 members and guests enjoyed a tour of the brewery, speeches from Mr Templeman and Sheps chief executive Jonathan Neame and the chance to sample the beers that are produced at the site.

Mr Neame said the success of the brewery, which has been operating on the same site since 1698, is its focus on serving the local region through its 369 pubs, its ability to adapt and innovate to meet changing customer needs and an unwavering approach to quality.

These traits, he said, have not only brought the brewery numerous awards but also have allowed the business to diversify from its traditional ales – Bishop’s Finger and Spitfire – to a range of lagers brewed under licence, such as Holsten Export (Germany), Kingfisher (India), Oranjeboom Pilsener (Holland), Sun Lik (Hong Kong), Hurlimann Sternbrau (Switzerland) and, most recently, the premium Japanese beer Asahi Super Dry.

Mr Templeman congratulated the Neame family on its stewardship of the business to date and welcomed the opportunity to assist in steering the company in the future.