Direct Wines appoints Philippa Strub as new CEO
Family-owned retailer Direct Wines, best known as Laithwaites Wine, has announced that Philippa Strub will take over as group CEO, succeeding David Gates.
Strub, who joined the business in 2012 and has served as UK managing director since 2018, steps into the top job at what she acknowledged is a challenging moment for the wine industry. Even so, the company says it is entering a period of significant opportunity, with major partnerships and innovations underway.
“As a family-owned business we have the privilege and opportunity of taking a long-term view of how wine and wine-selling needs to adapt to changes in customer and government behaviour”, said Strub. “I’m really up for that challenge and believe I have the team to drive the change we need to see.”
Gates, who previously spent much of his career as a senior exec at Diageo, joined Direct Wines during the pandemic after leaving Brewdog Distilling. He will step down after Christmas, retiring from full-time work to pursue a portfolio career.
A new era
Family chair Will Laithwaite thanked Gates “for bringing world-class brand thinking to the business as well as championing a successful program of talent development”.
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Laithwaite added that he was “delighted” Strub had accepted the new role, noting: “Philippa’s track record is exemplary, she’s very much a proven winner and we’re excited to see how she makes the most of this new suite of responsibilities.”
Founded in 1969 by Tony Laithwaite, Direct Wines sells directly to consumers in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand, with additional franchises in select markets. Tony Laithwaite remains actively involved in the business.
Laithwaites Wine, which began when Tony Laithwaite drove a van of Bordeaux wine back to England, has since grown into one of the UK’s largest wine merchants, with a curated selection of 1,200 bottles from 26 countries, spanning from £4.99 to £1,200.
The team recently joined forces with Alan Carr and Lee Peart for Bottoms Up! – a new wine podcast aimed at making wine “more fun”.
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