Rockfish appoints new head of communications

Seafood restaurant group Rockfish has appointed Laura Cowan as its new head of communications to the executive board.

Cowan has worked for the group’s founder, Mitch Tonks, for 20 years at Rockfish. She previously worked at FishWorks, and brings with her “considerable knowledge and experience” of the business to the role. 

Prior to Rockfish, Cowan also worked for financial group Zurich, training sales consultants as the company transitioned to financial services technology. She later began her own communications company, RedHeadLines, which specialised in the food and drink sector. 

Rockfish said her appointment will “enhance” the company’s strategic priorities of customer satisfaction and “positive cultural transformation”.

Tonks said:  “As part of our growth plans I am delighted to let you know that we have appointed Laura Cowan to the board as director of marketing and communications. 

“Laura has worked with me for 20 years and has been largely responsible for building our relationship with the press and more recently developing our marketing strategy and overseeing its execution which to date has been very successful.”

Board member, Henry Dimbleby, said: “I’ve loved working with Laura. She has an irresistible energy of spirit and her strategic insights are always shrewd and succinctly put. It is fantastic that she is now joining the board.

“We want every Rockfish to become embedded in its local seaside community – a place where locals and visitors alike experience the world’s best seafood, right next to the waters from which it came.”

Rockfish has eight coastal sites in Devon and Dorset, and also owns the Seahorse restaurant in Dartmouth. The company plans to grow the business from six to 16 units over a four-year period. 

The business saw “very positive” results during 2019, with a 7% increase in like-for-like trading. Two further openings are planned for 2020.