James Watt BrewDog Wikipedia, Age, Wife, Net Worth, Children
James Watt Biography – James Watt Wiki
James Watt is the captain and co-founder of BrewDog. Watt and his business partner, Martin Dickie, started BrewDog in 2006 in Dickie’s mum’s garage in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, naming it in honour of Watt’s late chocolate labrador, Sweep.
Hailing from Aberdeenshire, Watt studied law and economics at Edinburgh University. He had a stint as a trainee solicitor. He reportedly quit the job and became a professional fisherman. After gaining his deep sea captain’s licence, Watt spent his early twenties working in the water – and experimenting with a homemade beer in his garage.
Having joined forces with his friend Martin Dickie, the pair decided to venture into the world of beer brewing and, in 2007, BrewDog was born. By 2014, he’d been named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year and was considered an expert in all things beer-related. He would later go on to receive an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Resignation
In May 2024, Watt said he was stepping down after 17 years at the helm of the Scottish brewer and bar chain. He retains a 21% stake and the title of “captain and co-founder”.
In a LinkedIn post, Watt said: “During my time at the helm of BrewDog, there have been highs and lows, up and downs, crazy successes and incredibly hard challenges. When I look back on the last 17 years (119 dog years) my overwhelming feeling is one of gratitude.”
James Watt Age
Entrepreneur James Watt was born in August 1982 in Aberdeen, Scotland.
James Watt Wife
Scottish entrepreneur James Watt is engaged to reality star Georgia Toffolo. Watt and Toffolo started dating in 2023 after being set up by a mutual friend, according to HELLO! magazine. Watt said on Instagram he proposed to the former Made in Chelsea star while on holiday in Greece for her 30th birthday.
The BrewDog co-founder said: “She said yes! With an abundance of smiles, happiness, love & family, [Georgia] & I got engaged on Friday in Greece. Georgia – I am so grateful that we managed to find each other and even more grateful to be building our lives together.”
The former Made in Chelsea star said: “James asked me to marry him. It really was the best moment of my life so far. I never knew I could feel happiness like this. The easiest, quickest yes to being your wife.
“Our love story is my favourite. How we managed to find each other out of billions of people out there will always be my greatest blessing. I love you forever and the magical life we’re building.”
Quandary
In December 2024, Watt said he is considering delaying his marriage to reality TV star girlfriend Georgia Toffolo for three years, to avoid missing out on tax relief for investing in her raw dog food business. In a post on Instagram, the entrepreneur revealed that his tax adviser had “dropped a bombshell” on him that threatens to cast a pall over the pair’s engagement.
He said the tax advice on a planned investment into Toffolo’s raw dog food business had plunged him into a quandary over which should take priority, marriage or tax relief. Watt said he was making an investment in Wild Pack, a dog food business started by Toffolo.
He wrote: “I’m making an investment into WiLD PACK – an incredible UK-based raw dog food business transforming dogs’ lives through raw, natural nutrition. I’m a massive advocate of the mission. And the founder Georgia Toffolo.
“Yes, I’m biased. But in my defence, it is a bloody great business. But my tax advisor just dropped a bombshell on me the other day: If I marry Georgia within 3 years of investing, I become a ‘connected person’ under HMRC rules, and I lose the [Enterprise Investment Scheme] tax relief.
“So now I’m facing the ultimate question: Delay the wedding for 3 years and lock in the tax relief? Or forgo the tax break and marry Georgia in 2025?”
James Watt Ex-Wife
James Watt was previously married to Scottish illustrator Johanna Basford. They are now divorced. During a difficult period of his marriage, Watt had a “brief, amicable relationship” with a team member of BrewDog in the US.
James Watt Children
James Watt and ex-wife Johanna Basford have two children, Evie and Mia. They previously lived in a converted farmhouse their two daughters. It’s only about eight miles from where Johanna grew up on her parents’ fish farm in the tiny village of Auchnagatt.
James Watt Family
James Watt’s family are from Scotland. In tell-all podcast on Dragon’s Den star Steven Bartlett’s series The Diary of a CEO, Watt revealed his family struggles and the relationship with his parents.
He said: “My relationship with my mum was always quite tough so nothing was ever good enough for mum when I was a kid, and had a few issues later and I haven’t spoken to my mum for over 20 years now. There was just a lot of kind of challenging things when I was a kid and when I was in my teens that I think made it difficult for us to have a relationship and for me it’s easier just not to have contact with her. It’s tough but I’ve got a fantastic relationship with my dad and the rest of my family and it’s been that way for a long time now.”
Father’s Death
His father was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer on 22nd June 2024. He died in August 2024. Watt wrote in an Instagram post: “I lost my absolute hero and my forever rock as we said goodbye to my dad. My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer only 6 weeks ago and it was heartbreaking to see him decline so quickly. Only 8 weeks ago he was still catching lobsters on his boat The Serene BF 453.
“My dad meant the world to me, and we were incredibly close. After I started BrewDog, I could not afford to pay myself a wage for the first 4 years, so I moved into my dad’s spare room and lived there until I was 29 years old. I also spent 7 years working side by side with my dad on a North Atlantic trawler.”
James Watt Girlfriend
Scottish entrepreneur James Watt previously dated Emili Ziem. He brought two private prosecution cases against ex-girlfriend Emili Ziem, accusing her of fraud and malicious communications. It followed a civil court ruling that she fraudulently induced him into paying her £100,000 in Bitcoin.
Watt claimed that Ziem had conned him into paying her £100,000 in Bitcoin by pretending to help him investigate an alleged online conspiracy against him. Instead, he said she had been at the centre of the scheme herself, and had used online personas to spread lies about him. She was ordered to pay the £100,000 back and pay £600,000 in damages, the BBC reported.
Watt dropped a second case, resulting in her acquittal. He said in a statement that having won the “landmark case” in the highest court in Scotland, he had decided not to pursue the criminal action against Ziem in England. He said it was “time to move on” and focus on his business and family. Watt then started dating Made In Chelsea’s Georgia Toffolo in 2023.
James Watt Net Worth
BrewDog co-founder James Watt has an estimated net worth of £262 million.
Nationality
He is of British nationality.
