Secrets of My Success: Simon Longbottom, chief executive at Stonegate Pubs

What do you do?

I lead a national pub company, Stonegate, with an estate of pubs and bars including the Slug & Lettuce and Be At One Brands.

We have grown to having nearly 750 sites in eight years. We’ve been highly acquisitive in the past 18 months. We made an offer for Revolution bars, but no deal materialised. However, we were delighted to add Be At One — a chain of 33 premium cocktail bars — earlier this year.

What are your likes and dislikes?

One of the great parts is getting out into our sites across the UK and speaking with our general managers and their teams. But it frustrates me there’s a perception that working in pubs is not a proper job. It’s a myth we have to dispel.

What was your biggest break?

After taking a gap year in Australia, I took a job in 1994 as a general manager running a pub called the Old Vicarage in Bournemouth.

It was owned by Bass at the time, and my biggest break was having Bass Taverns’ main board director, Ian Payne, come in.

He offered me lots of advice and we really got on. In 2014, Ian offered me the top job at Stonegate two decades after we first met when I was 22. I’m so glad he came into my Bournemouth pub the day I was working.

And your biggest setback?

My first managing director job in Gala Bingo was in 2007 and we were almost immediately faced with the perfect storm of headwinds including the recession, the smoking ban and the growth of online bingo. The environment meant that many clubs had to close and going through that restructuring process was a chastening experience.

How do you manage your work/life balance?

As I have grown more grey hairs I have realised that to be the best that I can be I need to be fit and healthy. I work long hours at times but I make sure I find the time for regular exercise.

I have recently run a marathon and I continue to make time in the diary for fitness goals. I have a couple of half marathons coming up before Christmas.

Do you have any tips for those starting out?

If you are outgoing and driven the pub sector is a great career choice. Hard work and determination get rewarded quickly.