![\"Brewdog](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/James-Watt-1200x800-1.jpeg\")
\t\tBrewdog’s co-founder seems to have left the firm for good\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tThursday 09 April 2026 9:11 am\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\tBrewdog’s co-founder seems to have left the firm for good\t<\/p>\n
Brewdog<\/a> co-founder James Watt has been \u201cterminated\u201d as director of the craft beer firm after its sale to a US cannabis giant<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Watt established the brewing company with schoolmate Martin Dickie in 2006 but resigned as a company director on 24 March, according to Companies House filings.\u00a0<\/p>\n Brewdog kickstarted the UK\u2019s craft beer craze but was mired by allegations of a toxic workplace before its sale caused the closure of dozens of its bars and the loss of nearly 500 jobs.<\/p>\n Watt stepped down as chief executive of the firm in 2024 but stayed on as a non-executive director.\u00a0<\/p>\n But his resignation, first reported<\/a> by the Press and Journal, marks the final step in his involvement with the craft beer giant.\u00a0<\/p>\n Watt said in his resignation letter: \u201cAs you will be aware, I have already resigned as a director of all other companies in the Brewdog group in accordance with my obligations under clause 8.1 of the Brewdog investment agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n A number of other directors had resigned from the company earlier in March.\u00a0<\/p>\n Watt \u2018heartbroken\u2019 over Brewdog sale<\/p>\n Watt broke his silence following the sale of Brewdog to US cannabis and beer producer Tilray, saying<\/a> he was \u201cheartbroken\u201d by the deal.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n \t\t\tBrewdog: James Watt \u2018heartbroken\u2019 as craft beer firm sold<\/a><\/p>\n He wrote on LinkedIn before his resignation: \u201cThis week has been incredibly hard. It is really difficult to find the right words and know what to say.<\/p>\n \u201cI am heartbroken for all of the hard-working and passionate team members who have lost their jobs. I am heartbroken for all of our brilliant equity punks who did not get the return on their investment they wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n Tilray snapped up Brewdog for just \u00a333m, far below the \u00a32bn valuation it notched in its 2021 heyday.\u00a0<\/p>\n The US firm acquired a select number of Brewdog\u2019s British bars \u2013 including five in London but a further 38 were left to close immediately, causing 484 job losses.<\/p>\n Sale brought frustration for \u2018equity punks\u2019<\/p>\n Brewdog\u2019s sale also marked disappointment for the tens of thousands of \u201cequity punk\u201d investors who contributed \u00a375m to the business in exchange for cheap shares across seven investment rounds.<\/p>\n AlixPartners, the beer firm\u2019s administrators, confirmed these investors will see no return on their investment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Watt apologised to these \u201cequity punks\u201d for failing to reward their backing: \u201cTo our equity punks: thank you for having the conviction to believe in the business when this was just two humans, one dog and a crazy idea.\u201d<\/p>\n