Brewdog boss says he was diagnosed with ADHD after being accused of inappropriate behavior

Brewdog boss James Watt has announced that he has been diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The chief executive of Britain’s largest craft brewery said he sought expert help after being branded “semi-autistic” following allegations of inappropriate behavior towards staff.

The 40-year-old has been diagnosed with ADHD – which makes people restless and impulsive – and Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism.

Watt has been at the center of a string of misconduct allegations in recent years after being accused of inappropriate behavior towards women at work and abuse of power.

Brewdog boss James Watt has announced that he has been diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Brewdog, Britain’s largest craft brewer, is valued at more than £1billion and was founded by James Watt and Martin Dickie, who went to school together in Aberdeenshire

He revealed the diagnosis and said the conditions made it difficult for him to read social cues and express empathy.

Watt said he will continue to work with medical experts to develop coping strategies that will allow him to manage his conditions while running the Aberdeenshire-based company.

He said: “Working with the specialist was really eye opening and after a series of consultations and tests I was diagnosed not only with High Functioning Asperger’s (which is on the autism spectrum) but also with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

“As a CEO and business leader, I am far from alone with being on the autism spectrum – Elon Musk has Asperger’s.

“The diagnosis gives me the opportunity to continue working with a great specialist to fully understand the impact of my own neurodiversity and in particular to work hard on the associated blind spots (e.g. with autism and ADHD such as focus, creativity and analysis.

“Understanding the condition also means I can incorporate practices into my daily life that help me better cope with situations, environments and experiences that I may find more challenging than others.

“I’m still early in my journey here and intend to continue sharing thoughts and insights that can help other neurodiverse business leaders and entrepreneurs in their journey.

‘I am confident that by working with fantastic specialists I can work within the confines of ASD and ADHD to continue to improve my approach to running BrewDog as well as my approach to life overall.’

ADHD was thrust into the spotlight this month after comedian Johnny Vegas, 52, was the latest in a wave of celebrities to announce they have been diagnosed with ADHD.

Others include comedian Rory Bremner, chef Heston Blumental, and television hosts Ant McPartlin and Sue Perkins.

Watt said he’s always thought of himself as a “strange fish” who is uncomfortable in social situations and prefers to be alone.

He attributed his behavior to an analytical brain and only sought help last year when he decided to get checked out.

He added: “I always struggle with emotional stuff and I’m terrible with social cues. I have always needed a lot of alone time to be able to function well as a person.

“I was often more scared in simple social situations than I was in my days at sea in the North Atlantic of huge storms.

I’ve always accepted these character flaws and viewed them as some sort of compromise with other traits – my analytical ability, my work ethic, and my ability to focus on tasks like a demented motherf***er.

“That’s just how I am,” I actually always thought.”

It comes after more than 15 former employees previously spoke out against Mr Watt, with some claiming he made female bartenders feel “uncomfortable” and “powerless”.

They even received advice from peers on how to avoid unwanted attention from Mr Watt, according to an investigation by BBC Scotland’s disclosure programme.

Watt previously told Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO Podcast that he “took people too far.”

BrewDog’s Old Street branch in east London (pictured)

Katelynn Ising, who worked at a BrewDog bar in Ohio, said female employees would dress smarter if they knew Mr. Watt would be in their bars.

She said: “We’d be careful to warn new girls… like, ‘Hey, just so you know, James Watt is coming to town. Just walking after shift, not really hanging out [and] Don’t always do your hair or make-up that day, for example, don’t catch his attention.’

Other former employees claim Mr Watt was seen by employees kissing a drunk customer on a rooftop terrace at another US bar.

Mr Watt said the allegations were false and denied any inappropriate behavior.

Last year, some of Watts’ disgruntled former employees shared a scathing open letter criticizing the company for its “toxic attitude” and accusing it of fostering a “culture of fear” among employees.

Written by a group called Punks With Purpose, the letter includes a list of 63 names of people who formerly worked for the company and targets the Scottish brewery’s founders James Watt and Martin Dickie.

It claimed the company was “built on a cult of personality” and claimed that some employees felt “burned out, scared and miserable”, adding that “a significant number of people have admitted they have suffered from a mental illness “. work there.

The letter, written collectively as a group called Punks With Purpose, included a list of names of people who had previously worked for the company and was aimed at the Scotland-based brewery’s founders

It has gone so far as to claim that being treated like a human “sadly doesn’t always come naturally” to BrewDog employees – ruining the image of the hipster company, which offers “couple leave” if an employee gets a dog and employee paid £500 to quit if they feel they are not a good fit.

At the time, Mr Watt subsequently issued an “update” to the Punks With Purpose open letter, describing it as “so disturbing but so important”.

He said: “Our focus now is not to disagree or contest the details of this letter, but to listen, learn and act.”

Brewdog, which is valued at more than £1billion, was founded by Watt and Martin Dickie, who went to school together in Aberdeenshire.

They started the company in 2007 with a bank loan and a grant from the Prince’s Trust because they couldn’t find anything to drink.

After being criticized for its marketing campaigns and work environment, the company has since sought to overhaul its culture by adopting a shared win system, three company-wide employee representation groups, a diversity forum, a confidential ethics hotline, and increased investment in learning and development.