Buckley joins San Carlo as new MD

Italian restaurant group San Carlo has announced the appointment of Lisa Buckley as managing director, effective from 1 October 2026.

Buckley joins following her time at brewer and bar operator BrewDog. Previous to that, she spent almost five years at Wagamama, where she rose to UK operations director, before becoming managing director of Côte Brasserie.

She subsequently served as chief executive of Leisure TV Rights, operator of the Ninja Warrior UK adventure park concept, and later joined BrewDog as global chief retail officer.

"San Carlo is a fabulous brand with an incredible heritage, and what particularly attracted me to the business was the strength of its people, its family culture and its genuine passion for hospitality," she says. "I have always been passionate about creating a strong end-to-end people proposition alongside consistent commercial delivery and operational excellence. I believe those things go hand in hand in creating brilliant hospitality businesses."

Independent hospitality 

Founded in Birmingham in 1992 by Carlo Distefano, San Carlo has grown from a single restaurant into an independent Italian restaurant group, while retaining the family ownership.

"We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the San Carlo family," adds Marcello Distefano, CEO of San Carlo. "Lisa brings exceptional experience from some of the most recognised businesses in our industry, alongside a genuine passion for people, hospitality and creating outstanding guest experiences.

"San Carlo has evolved enormously since my father opened our first restaurant, but the principles behind the business have never changed: fantastic food, brilliant people, exceptional hospitality and an uncompromising commitment to our guests. As we look towards the next chapter of San Carlo, it is incredibly important that we continue to protect those things that make us special while having the ambition to keep evolving and growing."

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