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“standfirst”>Boyes takes MD role at Moet, Graham Boyes has been appointed new UK managing director at Moët Hennessy…Santa rita wine recruits Richard Leaver, Richard Leaver has been named corporate commercial director of  Santa Rita Wine Company…

Boyes takes MD role at Moet

Graham Boyes has been appointed new UK managing director at Moët Hennessy. He succeeds David Meyers, who has left the company “to pursue interests outside the LVMH organisation”, according to a spokesman for the luxury goods conglomerate.Boyes joined the the LVMH Group in 2001 as managing director of Moët Hennessy Germany. He began his career working for Cadbury and subsequently held various sales and marketing positions in Seagram and UDV/Diageo. Boyes will be located at LVMH’s London office in Grosvenor Crescent, SW1, and will report to James Cockeram, regional managing director of Moët Hennessy Europe.

Meyers, who is Canadian and in his 40s, had previously worked in the Caribbean for Rémy Cointreau, where he ran the Barbados-based Mount Gay Rum for five years.

Santa rita wine recruits Richard Leaver

Richard Leaver has been named corporate commercial director of  Santa Rita Wine Company, the Chilean organistion owned by the Claro Group. This is a newly created position and the first to encompass all Claro Group wine brands in any market around the world.Leaver will be responsible for the Santa Rita brand, Carmen, Terra Andina and Doña Paula from Argentina. The new role supports The Claro Group’s long-term brand development programme for the wines within the UK and Ireland, identified as key markets to drive value and volume sales.Leaver joins The Claro Group from Southcorp Wines and more recently Beam Global. He brings with him experience in food and drink sales, customer marketing and business development for companies including Unilever and Gillette. “The Claro Group is committed to investment and pioneering advances in terroir, grape selection and wine styles,” says Leaver. “Despite the impact of the poor exchange rate on the Chilean wine industry, the group is showing all the signs of a very positive future and I very much look forward to playing a creative and leading part in that success.”

The Claro Group, comprising shipping, steel, glass, packaging, media and wine, is currently valued at US$3.1 billion.

Veteran price at T&R theakston

T&R Theakston has appointed industry veteran Freddie Price as sales development manager for the South West of England.Price, 65, has 43 years experience in the drinks industry – 34 years in brand sales with brewing giant Scottish Courage and nine with Schweppes. He retired from the West and Wales division of Scottish Courage just five days before starting work with Yorkshire brewer Theakstons.In his new role, Price, who lives in Portishead, near Bristol, will travel the region meeting landlords and promoting the Theakstons range. He said: “I am looking forward to being the official face of Theakstons in the South West – landlords can expect a personal and friendly approach from me. Theakstons is a brand I believe in and it’s a brand which a strong heritage – they are one of the oldest independent breweries in the country.”

Theakstons was established in 1827 in North Yorkshire.

Other news

Angela Mount is to head up Lovethatwine.com. The ex-Somerfield buyer will front the new website with former Kumala chief Mike Paul. The UK distributor Thierry’s, who initially developed the project, has divested itself of its interest and Mount, along with Rob Buckhaven, formerly of Thierry’s, is to take over the day-to-day running.Punch Taverns’ chief operating officer, Adrian Fawcett, stepped down from the position at the end of last month. His replacement, Deborah Kemp, has been with Punch Taverns, the largest pub operator in the UK, since it was created in 1998.  Lauren Laubser has joined Wines of Chile as marketing and administration manager and will take over from Zanna Marr. Laubser was previously with Brand Phoenix.Penny Champion has been appointed as the new managing director of Negociants UK. Champion, currently of Peter Lehmann Wines in the UK, takes over from Martin Strachan who ends his four-year term in June.Somerfield’s Claire Pell has been promoted to category buyer for light wines and Julie McFadden has been made junior buyer for light wines. Tim Horton has joined the team as the new category buyer for beer and cider.Laurie Webster, former HMV UK and Oddbins head of marketing, joins Vinoceros in the newly created role of sales and marketing director. Australian born winemaker Mark Goundrey takes up the position of European sales manager.

© db April 2007

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