A MASTER brewer who was appointed managing director of an East Lancashire brewery has left the company after just a year in charge.

Brian Hickman, a former production and distribution director for the Blackburn brewery, departed by mutual agreement.

But the company has failed to explain the exact reason for his exit.

Mr Hickman, 41, became the Blackburn-based company's managing director last March, replacing Paul Baker.

And Mr Baker, currently a non-executive director of the company, will now be returning to the post of managing director.

Mr Hickman first joined the industry in 1987 and gained his Institute of Brewing and Distilling's Master Brewer professional qualification.

The master brewer then moved to Thwaites as production and distribution director in 1998. He was then appointed deputy MD in 2004 and took over operational responsibilities a year later.

Mr Hickman was unavailable for comment but a statement from the brewery said: "Brian Hickman has today left the company by virtue of mutual agreement between both parties.

"The company thanks him for what he has done in the past and gives him their very best wishes for the future.

"Paul Baker, currently non-executive director, will assume responsibility for the brewery."

He leaves just months after it was announced that the brewing giant was looking to increase business intern-ationally in the next 12 months.

The firm, which employs 340 staff and has 425 pubs, is also investing over £6million on improving and refurbishing a number of its pubs.

In Mr Hickman's time as MD he had been working to improve the company's branding and, as part of the bi-centenary, a number of new beers were launched throughout the year.

Thwaites' 200-year-anni-versary celebrations helped the group report a 9.5% growth in profit before tax to around £12.7million for the year ending March 31, 2007.