Top people moves in drinks: April

Constellation Brands appoints new executive vice president and president of wine and spirits

Hanson served on Constellation’s board of directors from February 2013 to April 2019. He resigned from the board prior to starting this new role, which he will officially begin on 3 June this year.

Bill Newlands, president and chief executive officer, said: “Robert’s strategic orientation, brand-building abilities in high-end segments, understanding of global operations, and leadership capabilities have been a huge benefit to our Board of Directors over the past six years.

“He will bring valuable perspective to our wine and spirits team that will help enhance our efforts to build strong brands consumers love, while delivering industry-leading growth and shareholder value in the years ahead.”

Hanson brings extensive consumer product goods and senior management experience to this role, having served as chief executive at luxury jeweller John Hardy Global Limited, where he will continue to serve as the company’s board chair.

Prior to joining John Hardy, Hanson also served as CEO at clothing brand American Eagle Outfitters and global brand president at Levi.

“I have developed a deep admiration and respect for Constellation Brands, its talented team members, and the company’s iconic beverage alcohol portfolio over the years,” said Hanson. “In particular, Constellation’s Wine & Spirits strategy and portfolio of brands is highly aligned with evolving consumer trends and has tremendous potential and a very bright future ahead.

“I look forward to working with Bill Newlands and the rest of the team to capitalise on the opportunity that lies ahead and help drive the next phase of growth at Constellation.”

Rodolphe Lameyse appointed new Vinexpo CEO

Vinexpo appointed Rodolphe Lameyse as its new CEO last month, almost a year after the departure of Guillaume Deglise last April.

Lameyse, who will take up his role on 16 April, is well versed in organising international trade events.

Before joining Vinexpo he was based in Singapore as the manager of Asia’s largest show dedicated to the food, beverage and hotel industry – Food & Hotel Asia.

Patrick Seguin, president of Bordeaux Gironde Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIBG), and president of Vinexpo Group, said: “His expertise in trade shows and his understanding of key markets, particularly those in Asia where a lot of new trends are emerging, will help kick-start Vinexpo group’s international expansion.”

Lameyse added: “Vinexpo has grown thanks to the quality of the offer available at each of its shows, the relevance of its content and the return on investment it generates. We’ll continue to expand Vinexpo shows together, in France and internationally, and provide our customers with solutions, in order to cement our role as the global leader for all players in the international wine and spirits sector.”

Josh Lincoln to head up new combined Majestic and Naked UK operation

Following news of the Majestic Wine restructure and rebrand, it was announced that current Majestic Wine UK retail boss Josh Lincoln will head up the combined Majestic and Naked UK operation.

Lincoln’s new role, which was first revealed by The Grocer, is UK MD of Majestic and Naked, with Naked MD Eamon Fitzgerald moving onto a role more focused on finding “new star winemakers”, the company confirmed to db, based in Ireland.

Lincoln joined Majestic Wine as customer director in January 2017, having spent eight years at Naked Wines, most recently in the role of global sales and service director. He was promoted to head up the retail business in January 2018, following the departure of former Screwfix boss, John Colley.

The company is also understood to have made changes to the buying team with the appointment of Nadia Williamson from Bibendum, who will work alongside buyers James Reed, Beth Pearce, Joe Aylmer and Imogen Bowen-Davies, and the departure of two senior buyers.

Head of buying Cat Lomax resigned from the company at the beginning of January, with her departure unrelated to the planned restructure, having accepted a new role which will start from 15 April. Lomax had joined Majestic from Waitrose in September 2016, taking over from Matt Pymm as head of buying across the Majestic Group.

Senior wine buyer Julie Buckley left the business last month, the company confirmed, having joined Majestic from Sainsbury’s in July 2017, where she was responsible for French, fine and fortified wines.

MD of Armit Wines Kirsten Kilby steps down  

Armit confirmed to db that Kilby had left the business as the company revealed the extent of its accumulated financial losses in documents filed at Companies House.

Kilby joined the fine wine business from Berry Bros & Rudd in October 2016, having previously worked in marketing and comms roles for luxury and fashion brands including Tag Heuer, Aquascutum, Paul Smith and Nicole Farhi.

Her appointment followed a challenging period for the fine wine company, which had been affected by a computer system failure in 2016 that it later said had cost it four months worth of operational trading.

Speaking to db soon after her appointment, Kilby said she wanted to streamline the range, stripping out around 20% of the range, and cutting the number of agencies from around 400-500 to 100.

In July 2017, the company, which celebrated its 30^th anniversary last year, was bought by French company InVivo Group as part of its acquisition of Armit’s owner, Dutch company Baarsma Wine Group from private equity firm AAC Capital Partners. Following the acquisition, the €6.5 billion French-based business, which also owns Bordeaux négociant houses Cordier and Mestrezat and one of France’s leading co-operatives, Vinadeis, said it intended to significantly grow its international wine activities.

According to accounts filed at Company House on 3 April, the company reported profits of nearly £565,000 in the 15 months to 30 June 2018, compared to a loss of nearly £603,000 in the previous year on turnover that remained flat (£27.8 million in the 15 months compared to £22.6 million in the 12 months to 31 March 2017).

However, Armit Wines has accrued accumulated total losses of £2.38 million by the end of the 2018 financial year, down from £2.95 million in 2017, and according to the director’s statement, its liabilities exceed its assets by around £1.63m.

Kevin George appointed chief executive of St Austell 

Kevin Georgel, chief executive of UK pub company Admiral Taverns, was appointed the new chief executive of Cornish brewery St Austell, after current occupant James Staughton retires next year.

Georgel, who has spent five years as chief executive of pub chain Admiral, will take on the new role at St Austell in January 2020, according to a statement from the brewery.

He has been a member of St Austell’s board for four years and is “a perfect fit for our company”, according to St Austell brewery chairman Will Michelmore.

“Whilst we are fleet of foot and adapt to changing market opportunities, St Austell Brewery is proud to take a long-term view and I am pleased that today’s announcement of both Kevin and James’ plans will enable a smooth handover of this key role from January 2020,” he added.

Georgel, said: “I have known and admired St Austell Brewery, and more recently Bath Ales for a long time. As a non-executive director I have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the business, its people and customers and I am thrilled to have been asked to succeed James in 2020. I am enormously conscious and respectful of the values and history of this great company and feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to join the business at this exciting time.”

Staughton will take on the role as honorary president on his retirement, and will continue to be an ambassador for the company.

Mount Gay Rum appoints first female master blender

Barbados rum brand Mount Gay has appointed Trudiann Branker as its new master blender, the first woman in the company’s 300-year history to occupy the role.

Branker will take over from Allen Smith, who has been with the company for 25 years.

Branker is a graduate of The Siebel Institute and the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and has spent 11 years working in the spirits industry. She joined Mount Gay in 2014 as the quality assurance manager.

Commenting on her new role, she said: “It is an honour for me to follow in Allen’s footsteps. It is from him that I learnt the tremendous savoir-faire which allows us to create one of the best rums in the world every day. It is with great pride that I become Mount Gay’s master blender and I humbly join this prestigious line to keep Mount Gay going, to create new treasures, expand our rums and invent new blends.”

Former master blender, Allen Smith, added: “For 25 years I have always been dedicated to serving Mount Gay by ensuring the excellence of our rums to the highest standard. For a master blender, there is nothing more pleasing than to see your work perpetuated by somebody that you have trained and familiarised with the techniques and secrets which have shaped our success. I am thrilled for Trudiann to take over from me to ensure the future of our incomparable Mount Gay rum.”

Juan Cristóbal Sepúlveda appointed CEO of Carolina Wine Brands

Chilean wine group Carolina Wine Brands appointed Juan Cristóbal Sepúlveda as its new CEO, taking over from the former occupant, Santiago Larraín.

Sepúlveda started in his role earlier this year. Prior to joining the wine group, he was the new business manager for seven years at Watt’s agribusiness group, the parent company of the Carolina Wine Brands and its largest shareholder.

Sepúlveda was responsible for corporate acquisitions, including those of cheese brand Parcelas de Valdivia, dairy giant Danone and frozen food company Frutos del Maipo. He was also the CEO of Frutos del Maipo.

Before joining Watt’s, Sepúlveda was CEO of Procter & Gamble Chile where he worked for 19 years, holding various senior management positions in both finance and marketing. He later worked for building supply company Budnik as its CEO.

Santiago Larraín is moving to become the CEO of Watt’s after 10 years heading up Carolina Wine Brands. He will continue to be involved in the business and will sit on its board of directors.

Jennifer Docherty MW appointed head of brand portfolio management at Summergate 

Drinks distributor Summergate Fine Wines & Spirits announced the appointment of Jennifer Docherty MW as its head of brand portfolio management last month.

Commenting on her new role, Docherty said: “I am thrilled to be joining the team at Summergate. I look forward to selecting premium products that I believe consumers and businesses alike will love, and helping producers achieve their distribution and brand building goals in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.”

In her role, Docherty will work closely with drinks brands to help them build their product presence in the market.

“Summergate is particularly strong in the on-trade sector, so I look forward to continuing existing and developing new relationships with hotels and restaurants,” she added.

Docherty has been in the drinks industry for over 12 years, including having been the wine buyer for Liberty Wines in the UK. She became a Master of Wine in 2015, making her the first ethnically Chinese and Mandarin speaking MW.

It’s the first time in Summergate’s 20-year-old history the company has employed a MW, and CEO Craig Aldous said hiring Docherty is a “coup” for the business.

“We work with some of China’s top sommeliers, F&B directors and wine buyers, and we have a discerning customer base, which is why it’s quite the coup for us to have a head of brand portfolio management of Jennifer’s calibre,” Aldous said.

“She is highly qualified and experienced, and I have no doubt she will help us to continually enhance the quality of our offering, and be pivotal in our on-going success,” he added.

Dr Nick Savage appointed master blender at Bladnoch Distillery

Bladnoch Distillery appointed Dr Nick Savage as its new master distiller last month after the departure of former master distiller and blender Ian MacMillan in January 2019.

Savage has a PhD in engineering and started at Diageo as technical lead in cask maturation before spending time working for William Grand & Sons in brewing and distilling.

He was most recently master distiller for The Macallan where he played a key role in the launch of the brand’s new distillery and visitor centre in June 2018.

Commenting on his new role, he said: “The vision and ambition shown by David Prior and the team at Bladnoch Distillery, together with the phenomenal efforts since 2015 with the re-generation of the historical site, played a huge part in my decision to join the Bladnoch business.

“The opportunity also allows me a new challenge in Single Malt Lowland Scotch Whisky from a 200 year old distillery. Combined with the passion and drive that the Bladnoch team have for the ultimate quality, I’m extremely excited to be a part of the amazing future of the brand.”

Bladnoch CEO and owner, David Prior, stated: “It’s a great privilege to welcome Nick Savage to the Bladnoch business. He has an impressive track record with a number of significant whisky companies and brands, most recently as Master Distiller for The Macallan. His youthful, positive and energetic approach will add great value to our team and business, as will his technical and operational skills.

“With the Visitor Centre opening in mid-June and Nick joining the business we are excited to undertake the final phase in bringing this amazing Lowland Single Malt distillery back to the whisky world.”

Savage will join Bladnoch on 1 July 2019, working with newly appointed distillery manager Neil Bulloch and the rest of the Bladnoch team.

David Parkinson steps down as CEO of WineGB

The CEO of Wines of Great Britain (WineGB), David Parkinson, stepped down from his position last month with immediate effect due to health reasons, but will remain on the board as a non-executive director.

In his new position, Parkinson will be tasked with promoting the industry’s strategy across government departments and to MPs, regional and local councils and other related bodies.

He will also continue to be involved in long-term communications and marketing projects. In a statement, the organisation said these changes would enable Parkinson “to focus his time on these key areas”.

Peter Gladwin, vice chairman of WineGB and owner of Nutbourne Vineyards in West Sussex, will be promoted to the role of non-executive managing director, and together with Simon Robinson, chairman of WineGB and owner of Hampshire’s Hattingley Valley, will manage organisation in the short term.

Commenting on the news, Robinson said: “We are delighted that David is remaining with us. His political and strategic experience and contribution has seen WineGB as an organisation move forward significantly in the last twelve months.”

The board’s other directors include Frazer Thompson of Chapel Down, Tamara Roberts of Ridgeview, Mark Driver of Rathfinny, Bruce Tindale of High Clandon Vineyard, Tim Ingram-Hill of Southcott Vineyard, Guy Howard of Giffords Hall Vineyard and Dominic Buckwell.

WineGB was formed in December 2017 following the formal merger on 1 September of the two industry bodies: United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA) and English Wine Producers (EWP).

Nancy Gilchrist to consult for Oxford Wine Company

Independent wine merchant the Oxford Wine Company has appointed Master of Wine Nancy Gilchrist as a consultant, with additional responsibility for the retailer’s sales to Oxford University Colleges.

Gilchrist, who became a MW in 1995, started her career in publishing but soon combined this with her love of wine, which was developed at Cambridge University. She ran the Carlton wine bar in Washington, a stone’s throw from the White House, and later spent two years as wine columnist for the Boston Globe.

After returning to the UK, she became head of the Grants of St James School of Wine, and later took over running the Christie’s wine course from Michael Broadbent MW and Steven Spurrier.

She devised the food & wine combinations module at Leith’s School of Food & Wine, where she teaches, and last year launched the Academie du Vin at 67 Pall Mall. Other roles have included being UK Champagne Ambassador for 2013. She is currently UK ambassador for Italy’s Alto Adige and Trentodoc regions, and regularly visits the vineyards of South Africa.

Albert Blaize appointed sommelier and beverage director for St Leonards 

Chefs and restaurateurs Jackson Boxer and Andrew Clarke appointed Albert Blaize as the new sommelier and beverage director for their two restaurants, St Leonards and Brunswick House, last month as well as the recently opened Orasay in Notting Hill.

Blaize’s primary focus will be on the bar at St Leonards, with the intention of establishing the venue as Shoreditch’s number one destination to try rare wines by the glass.

Alongside his work at St Leonards, Blaize will continue to develop and grow the wine lists at Brunswick House and Orasay, ensuring a choice of unique bottles remain at the core of each restaurant.

Blaize will also be curating a number of events taking place throughout the year.  A series of wine tasting evenings will showcase lesser known regions and producers while a weekly food and wine pairing evening, taking place on Tuesdays, will give guests the opportunity to bring their own bottle for a reduced corkage fee, with Blaize on hand to suggest snacks and small plates to pair with the wine.

Joining the team from his most recent position as head of wine at The Mandrake in Fitzrovia, Blaize brings with him a wealth of international industry experience, with stints at The Clove Club, Trullo and Le Manoir Aux-Quat Saisons.

Honore Comfort named new vice president of international marketing at The Wine Institute in California

Honore Comfort was named the new vice president of international marketing at The Wine Institute in California, effective 8 April.

Comfort, who is also principal and founder of The Artemis Group, a strategic planning and marketing consulting firm for the wine industry, brings with her extensive experience in international wine marketing, management and brand strategy.

Previously, she held the position of president of Brack Mountain Wine Company, executive director of Sonoma County Vintners and senior marketing positions with Fosters Wine Estates, Southcorp Wines – The Americas, and Rosemount Estate.

Earlier in her career, she held senior marketing positions with Macy’s West and The Art Institute of Chicago.

Comfort has also served as executive in residence with the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University, and is on the board of the Wine Studies Program and Shone Farm Foundation, both affiliated with Santa Rosa Junior College.

“Honore is a respected leader in the wine industry whose depth of experience will contribute to the continued growth of California wine exports around the world,” said Wine Institute President and CEO Robert P. (Bobby) Koch.

Comfort takes over from Linsey Gallagher who has become the new president of Visit Napa Valley.

Comfort can be reached at hcomfort@wineinstitute.org.

Mt. Beautiful New Zealand Names Jarred Whinham as Winery Manager

New Zealand’s  Mt. Beautiful Wines has appointed Jarred Whinham as its new winery manager. Whinham will oversee daily winery operations at the Spotswood-based winery located 9km north of Cheviot. He will work closely with the consulting winemaker, vineyard manager, viticultural manager and CEO.

Whinham has previously worked in New Zealand, Australia, the US, France and Germany for the likes of Claybridge and Maven in Marlborough, Morton Estate in Hawke’s Bay, Francois Lurton in Minervois and De Bortoli Wines in New South Wales.

Robert Watkins, CEO of Mt. Beautiful, Teece Family Vineyards and Farms, commented: “We’re excited to have Jarred on our team. His international winemaking experience is attractive to us, as well as his ability to operate efficiently while upholding a keen interest in producing wines of uncompromising quality.”