We take a look at some of the industry figures taking on top jobs in the beverage industry this month.
We take a look at some of the industry figures taking on top jobs in the beverage industry this month.
Ronald Schellekens, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, at PepsiCo, will retire at the end of this year. The company will welcome Becky Schmitt as the new Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, who will report to PepsiCo's Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta and assume full accountabilities, effective October 1.
With almost 30 years of HR leadership experience, Schmitt will join the company from Cognizant, a multinational information technology services and consulting company. Previously, she was in various executive HR roles at Walmart, including Vice President and Chief People Officer (CPO) of Sam's Club. Schmitt also spent 21 years with Accenture in multiple senior HR roles globally, including an assignment in India. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is currently a Board Member at Teach for America, NYC chapter.
Amber Beverage Group has appointed Jessica Lanzon as Commercial Director for North America. She reports to Pepijn Janssens, ABG Managing Director US, and is working close with the ABG Strategic Marketing Department, as well as the Group’s sales and distribution partners across the region.
Lanzon is based in New York City and has been appointed to develop opportunities for the company’s owned core brands, in particular Rooster Rojo Tequila, KAH Tequila, Moskovskaya Vodka, Riga Black Balsam, and others. Previously, she worked at Lobos 1707 Tequila as Regional Sales Director.
Amber Beverage Group produces, bottles, markets, distributes, exports, and retails a range of beverages of which it owns more than 100 and is responsible for marketing and distributing 1,300 third-party drinks brands, spanning everything from premium vodka and sparkling wines to speciality Mexican tequilas and Irish whiskey.
The company operates in nearly 20 countries as well as the USA and Canada, including Austria, Australia, the Baltic States, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, and the UK.
BrewDog has appointed Chris Fielden as its first chief supply chain officer.
In the newly created role, Fielden will be responsible for all aspects of sourcing, production, packaging and distribution for BrewDog beers and spirits.
He will join the business in mid-May, leaving his current role as supply chain director for Warp Snacks. He has previously held roles with Innocent and PepsiCo.
Ghost Tequila has appointed Jeff Popkin as the company’s new CEO, and has just completed a significant funding round from The Raptor Group, a prominent Boston-based private investment firm.
Prior to joining Ghost, Popkin served for six years as CEO of Mast-Jägermeister US where he led the Jägermeister brand and was responsible for the Mast-Jägermeister US joint venture with Teremana Tequila.
Popkin’s extensive experience in all segments of the beverage industry also includes spells as President of The Vita Coca Company, where he led the company’s North American expansion years; CEO of Red Bull Distribution Company; and various senior management roles at Molson Coors. He is currently a Non-Executive Director with London-based premium mixer brand Fever-Tree.
Ghost Tequila is a 100% agave spicy tequila crafted in Jalisco, Mexico. Since its launch six years ago, the brand has experienced more than 100% year-over-year growth in volume and is now available in all 50 US states, as well as in international markets such as the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
Pinkster has appointed industry veteran Jason Sennitt as its sales and marketing director.
Over his 20-year career in the spirits industry, Sennitt has held executive positions with the top three global distilling giants Diageo, Suntory and Pernod-Ricard.
Described as ‘the original pink gin’, Pinkster celebrates its tenth anniversary in June, having carved out a position within the super-premium gin category with a focus on sustainability (such as through the use of fresh fruit and a 3-liter bag-in-box format).
Sennitt’s priorities will be building on the brand’s established on-trade presence, launching into the multiple grocers, reinvigorating packaging, and leading new product development to tap into the growing trend of moderation, including plans for fruity spritz drinks.
Sennitt will be reporting into the company’s Cambridgeshire based founder, Stephen Marsh.
Recent roles for Sennitt have seen him leading Pernod Ricard UK’s gin portfolio (which included Malfy, Monkey 47 and Plymouth), overseeing the launch of Suntory’s super-premium mixer range and leading Diageo’s innovation agenda in Africa.
Starting this month, Sonia Elia joins Cocchi, the brand of Italian aromatised wines, as Brand Advocacy Manager, a newly created ambassadorial role.
Based in London, Sonia will be responsible for growing brand awareness and understanding of vermouth and the wider aperitif category. She will run trade and consumer trainings and events and continue to build and strengthen Cocchi’s relationships with the on-trade sector – focusing especially on key European markets including the UK and Italy.
Born and raised in Giarratana (Ragusa – Sicily), Sonia first started her career in the hospitality industry in 2010 in Tutton’s Brasserie in Covent Garden, before holding prominent positions at well-known London restaurants and bars including Sartoria, Sheraton Park Lane, and Hilton Park Lane. After a short break in the Balearic Islands, Sonia returned to London in 2017 where she started a sales and ambassadorial role at Global Brands looking after Franklin & Sons’ premium soda range.