LCB board packs 200 years of experience

Since 1870, London City Bond (LCB) has been a trusted partner for the wine and spirits industry, now guided by its board of directors overseeing logistics in the 21st century.

Starting from its humble beginnings with barges on the Thames, LCB has evolved into the leading bonded warehouse keeper in the Port of London. The company has earned the trust of wine merchants and global investors who rely on LCB to store their stock in the ideal conditions found at LCB sites, including Eton Park, Melksham, Dinton, and Drakelow. LCB offers a comprehensive and sophisticated drinks logistics service, supported by state-of-the-art IT systems, ensuring the highest level of operational excellence at competitive rates.

The board of directors at LCB is responsible for addressing the challenges of the 21st century. With a total of 200 years of industry experience between them, the board supervises the company’s warehouses, which store 10 million cases across 2.4 million square feet, as well as a delivery fleet of up to 300 vehicles.

Who are the six board members of LCB, and what distinguishes them as leading voices in the drinks logistics sector? db found out the inside story of the board.

Managing director Alf Allington

Allington, one of the founding members of LCB, has dedicated 46 years to bonded warehousing and the drinks trade. After leaving school without qualifications in 1976, he began his career in the imports department at the International Stores supermarket chain. In 1982, at the age of 22, Allington became the site manager for Holloway Bond. His path then intertwined with Ben Jones, who purchased the site just a year later.

In 1988, LCB was founded when the duo bought the trading company British & Foreign Wharf Ltd, which had been operating since 1870 and included a 60,000 square foot warehouse. As the managing director of the company, the father of three daughters appreciates loyalty, hard work, and continuing striving towards perfection.

Director Brian Davis

Davis has had a distinguished career in the wine and spirits industry that spans more than 50 years. For the past 27 years, he has been part of the senior management team at LCB, where he has interacted with and collaborated alongside many prominent figures in the industry.

With a background in IT, Davis offers exceptional expertise in online systems and system development, as well as a deep understanding of HM Revenue & Customs regulations. He has played a pivotal role in securing both Excise and Customs approvals for all sixteen of LCB’s sites across the UK and is willing to assist others in obtaining their approvals. Davis is also a director of The Bonded Warehousekeepers Association (BWA) and recently joined the executive board of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Renowned for his honesty and directness, Davis remains committed to LCB. However, he has handed over some of his responsibilities to embrace a more leisurely lifestyle in semi-rural Yorkshire with his wife, Chris.

Operations director Michael Stone

A father of two daughters, Stone has dedicated 24 years to the company, where he also met his wife, Sarah. His inspiring career began at LCB as a van loader at the Barking site, and he steadily rose through the ranks to become a member of the board of directors. Before being appointed operations director in 2019, Stone served as the general manager of LCB’s largest warehouse at Tilbury Freeport.

Throughout his time at LCB, Stone has gained valuable experience in the company’s office, focusing on the handling of incoming goods—an important area for LCB’s customers. He played a significant role in the company’s decision to collaborate with Ontech to develop the Vision system, working closely with Davis, and on the implementation of various modules across LCB’s locations.

Sales director David Hogg

With 45 years of experience in the industry, Hogg has travelled to more than 70 countries, gaining valuable insights into the global market. His résumé includes a brief tenure at the Department of the Environment, as well as roles at Waverley Vintners within Charles Mackinlay’s whisky blending and bottling site in Leith and various warehouse locations across the UK. Following this, Hogg played a significant role in integrating the company after the acquisition of Peter Thomson’s business in Perth.

For 20 years, Hogg managed a regional distribution centre in Gateshead, England. In 2021, he joined Lay & Wheeler, where he spent the following 18 months establishing Vinotheque as a fine wine storage facility and integrating additional aspects of the business. In May 2004, following the purchase of Vinotheque Ltd, he transitioned to LCB, working under Allington for the past 21 years.

Fine wine director Jane Renwick

Renwick began her career at Octavian Wine Services and has dedicated more than 30 years to the industry. As the first and only female board member at LCB, she has extensive experience working in a predominantly male-dominated field. Renwick has become a prominent voice in the industry, actively encouraging and supporting women through programmes like the Bonded Warehouse Association (BWA) Certification, which emphasises education in customs and excise.

At LCB, her responsibilities include looking after the company’s fine wine sites located at Eton Park, Melksham, Dinton Woods, and an exciting new underground site at Drakelow Tunnels.

Financial controller Craig Cripps

Previously, Cripps spent 21 years at the global strategy consulting firm LEK Consulting, where he held various roles within the head office finance function. As a CIMA-qualified accountant, his prior experience also includes serving as the finance lead at the start-up consultancy firm Loop Horizon.

Cripps joined LCB as the financial controller in October 2020. The father of three reports directly to the board and is responsible for finance, payroll, and HR functions.

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