Over the last few months I've been aware of 3 people moving between some of the best pubs in the north.

Chloe from The Grove in Hudderfield to Marble Arch in Manchester
Tyler from Foley's in Leeds to Friends of Ham
Dean from Foley's in Leeds to Brewdog in Manchester (ok, ok!)

Foley's apparently is going downhill as Dean and Tyler were the beer gurus there AFAIK. Chloe made the Grove a very calm and friendly place to visit.

I vaguely remember a pub in Llanbadarn Fawr, Ceredigion, being very welcoming (Black Lion I think) before the ownership changed and it started to struggle.

There's not many other bar staff I can think of who seem to make a venue their own and improve the place immeasurably. The above 3 were clearly headhunted...

Any others?