Brewdog founder faces data complaints over efforts to buy back firm
Summary
James Watt, co-founder of Brewdog, is facing complaints to the UK data watchdog after contacting former shareholders during his attempt to buy back the company. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is investigating whether data privacy rules were broken, as some shareholders said they did not know how Watt got their contact details.Key Facts
- Brewdog was taken over by US drinks company Tilray earlier this year for about £33 million.
- Before the takeover, Brewdog had debts of over £500 million and closed 36 bars, causing hundreds of job losses.
- Tilray acquired Brewdog's brand, intellectual property, UK breweries, and 11 bars.
- James Watt stepped down as Brewdog’s CEO in 2024 and now calls himself the company’s "captain and co-founder."
- Watt made a recent bid to buy back Brewdog through his new beer company called Second Best.
- Around 43,000 crowdfunding investors, called "equity punks," were involved in the bid.
- Some former investors said they were surprised Watt had their contact information, raising concerns about possible data privacy breaches under GDPR rules.
- Tilray said it did not share any data with Watt or support his communications with former shareholders and confirmed it takes data privacy seriously.
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