Rebecca Yazbek continues to repair Nomad reputation
As Nomad Group former co-director Alan Yazbek heads to an Ashram in India, his wife Rebecca has been left to pick up the pieces and undo reputational damage.
Her husband pleaded guilty to displaying a Nazi symbol at a pro-Palestinian rally and will return for his sentencing hearing on December 10. Yazbek stepped down from his role as co-director of Nomad Group after his arrest.
Rebecca is now sole director and has already rebranded the company from Nomad Group to Edition Hospitality.
While Alan will play no role in management or day-to-day operations, Rebecca has enlisted some help, appointing celebrity accountant Anthony Bell as the company’s business adviser to help steer the rebranding.
Bell is one of Sydney’s highest-profile accountants, with a client list that includes Michael Clarke and Larry Emdur.
“Nomad Group is already a successful company,” Rebecca Yazbek said in a statement. “I am confident this new structure will work towards our future success. This is the right time to move towards a new phase for my business.”
Nomad Sydney and Reine & La Rue have suffered major customer backlash since Alan was charged, with reports of antisemitic behaviour multiplying over the ensuing days, including allegations of slurs against Nomad’s landlords.
Nomad Sydney, Nomad Melbourne and Reine & La Rue in Melbourne will not be renamed under the restructure.
“We’ve spent some time putting this new structure together and as I listened to Rebecca articulate her vision for the business and her plans for the future, I knew I wanted to be involved and jumped at the chance to join her as an adviser,” Bell said in a joint statement with Rebecca Yazbek.
Nomad Sydney and Reine & La Rue, both previously featured in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide, were removed from the list on October 11 following backlash from the rally.
On the same day, Nomad Group was also removed from the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association.
Jonathan Jackson, 4th November 2024
