Vinarchy appoints ex-Berry Bros. & Rudd CEO

Vinarchy has appointed two of the most experienced executives in the drinks industry to its board. Former Berry Bros. & Rudd chief executive Dan Jago and ex-Diageo North America president Claudia Schubert have joined as independent non-executive directors.

Vinarchy has confirmed its board of directors, just months after the business was created through the combination of assets from Accolade Wines and the bulk of Pernod Ricard’s wine operations. The five-strong board, announced yesterday (22 July), comprises deep international expertise in wine, drinks and consumer goods.

Dan Jago brings decades of wine leadership

Dan Jago joins as an independent non-executive director, having led Berry Bros. & Rudd as chief executive between 2015 and 2019. He began his wine career in 1988, first at Laytons Wine Merchants, before taking on senior roles at Bibendum and Tesco, where he was group director for beer, wine and spirits.

After leaving Berry Bros & Rudd, Jago was appointed chief executive of James Purdey & Sons, the Richemont-owned luxury gunmaker and clothing company. Reflecting on his appointment, Jago said via LinkedIn: “Delighted to be working with such a high calibre team at Vinarchy.”

Claudia Schubert joins from Diageo

Claudia Schubert, who stepped down as president of Diageo North America in 2024, also takes a seat on the Vinarchy board as an independent non-executive director. Schubert spent 22 years at Diageo, succeeding Debra Crew as president of the North American division in late 2022.

At Diageo, she drove growth through portfolio transformation, mergers and acquisitions and analytics-driven routes to market. Today, she serves as senior advisor at Boston Consulting Group and sits on the board of trustees at the Culinary Institute of America.

The rest of the board

Ben Clarke, executive chair, leads the board, bringing 30 years’ global experience from Kraft Foods, Burton Biscuits and Soulfresh. He is joined by Mitch Taylor, partner at Samuel Terry Asset Management, and Neil Robson, former Thames Water board member and experienced transformation specialist.

Vinarchy’s newly appointed board, with decades of experience at the highest level, is designed to steer the company into its “next exciting chapter,” according to an official statement.

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