Des gunewardena biography of martin

Des Gunewardena, formerly one half of restaurant group D&D, has spoken for the first time about his acrimonious 2022 departure from the company he founded 18 years ago.

Speaking to City A.M.

in an exclusive interview he said: “I had no option [but to leave]. There was a pretty fundamental difference of views between the guy who founded the business [him] and the financial stakeholders.

“I had one vision for how to develop the company and the private equity investors had a different vision.

Des gunewardena biography of martin

My strategy was to continue to practise the things that have been so successful since D&D was formed… In the short term, you have to manage the business as well as you can. And in the long term you continue to stick to your vision: long-term players, long-term growth.

That was my strategy. Theirs was more focused on the short term.”

Gunewardena, who made a failed bid to take back co