People on the move: New appointments in the beverage industry

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Pic:getty/dimitriotis (Getty Images)

Keurig Dr Pepper and Pernod Ricard are among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.

Keurig Dr Pepper and Pernod Ricard are among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.

People on the move
People on the move (Dimitri Otis/Getty Images)

Keurig Dr Pepper and Pernod Ricard are among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.

Pernod Ricard Deutschland appoints sales director
Pernod Ricard Deutschland appoints sales director

Holger Möller will become Pernod Ricard Deutschland’s new sales director as of December 1, 2023.

Möller has more than 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. He started his career at Johnson & Johnson and later worked as Food Service Director for the DACH region at H. J. Heinz GmbH.

After positions as sales director DACH at Unilever and General Manager at Puratos GmbH, he was most recently sales director out of home Germany and member of the management tea for Germany and Austria at Luigi Lavazza Deutschland GmbH.

Keurig Dr Pepper names Interim Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
Keurig Dr Pepper names Interim Chief Corporate Affairs Officer

Keurig Dr Pepper has appointed Monique Oxender as Interim Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, reporting to Chairman & CEO Bob Gamgort and joining the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

In this role, Oxender will oversee the Company's corporate responsibility, government affairs, corporate communications and internal communications work. She succeeds Maria Sceppaguercio, who had previously announced her planned retirement and will stay as an advisor to the company through the end of year.   

Oxender has been with KDP for more than 11 years, most recently as Senior Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer, where she designed the organizational and strategic framework for the company's corporate responsibility platform. Prior to joining KDP, Monique served in leadership roles with Ford Motor Company, overseeing supply chain sustainability programs and working with a wide range of external stakeholders.   

Oxender holds an MBA and a master's degree in Resource Ecology from the University of Michigan and bachelor's degrees in Biology and Spanish from Miami University. She is a member of the Board of Directors for World Coffee Research and on the Strategic Advisory Council for The Erb Institute, a partnership between the Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.

Portman Group appoints new Director of External Affairs
Portman Group appoints new Director of External Affairs

The Portman Group has named David Saer, its current Head of Policy and Public Affairs, as the group’s new Director of External Affairs.

Joining in 2019, David has led the Portman Group’s thought leadership on alcohol policy and engagement with policymakers across the UK. This includes commissioning the group’s annual survey of consumer attitudes to alcohol alternatives with YouGov and representing the group at the Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership, Retail of Alcohol Standards Group and International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.

Prior to joining the Portman Group, he spent seven years in political and regulatory affairs consultancy, working for clients from a diverse range of sectors including food and consumer goods, aerospace ana biopharmaceuticals.

Nicola Bates will leave the Portman Group after five years as Director of Strategy and External Affairs: having been appointed as the new Chief Executive of WineGB – the trade association for English and Welsh Wine.

The Portman Group is the UK alcohol industry’s self-regulator for responsible marketing and promotion of alcoholic products.

Bizzy Cold Brew welcomes new CFO Ryan Bennett
Bizzy Cold Brew welcomes new CFO Ryan Bennett

Bizzy Cold Brew has appointed Ryan Bennett as the company's new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Founded in 2013, the USDA Certified Organic, craft-brewed cold brew is available in RTD, multi-serve bottles, coarse grounds and eco-friendly brew bags. Highlighting ‘remarkable growth’ it says the addition of Ryan Bennett as CFO will help it strengthen its financial foundation and enhance its market presence even further.

“Bennett, previously associated with Talenti Gelato, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Bizzy Cold Brew team, and is poised to drive the brand's financial growth and strategic expansion,” says Bizzy Cold Brew.

“Bennett's extensive background in finance and his track record of success make him a perfect fit for Bizzy Cold Brew’s dynamic and rapidly evolving environment. With a proven ability to navigate complex financial landscapes and foster innovation, Bennett's appointment is set to propel Bizzy Cold Brew’s mission to offer premium cold brew coffee experiences to an ever-growing consumer base.”

Tractor Beverage Company appoints Vice President of Innovation and Quality
Tractor Beverage Company appoints Vice President of Innovation and Quality

Tractor Beverage Company has appointed Swapna Mony as Vice President of Innovation and Quality.

In this capacity, Mony will be responsible for developing and guiding critical strategies to grow Tractor's business, facilitating key partnerships, and building out the innovation pipeline. She will leverage her experience in beverage formulation and launching new products, working with emerging technologies, and driving scale and strategic growth in the food and beverage industry.

Mony most recently served as Sr. Market Manager of Distribution at Cargill, recently awarded one of Fast Company's 2023 Best Workplaces for Innovators.

Tractor Beverage Company - which is ‘revolutionizing the beverage station as the first and only USDA Organic Certified Non-GMO full-line beverage solution for food service’ - was included on the 2023 and 2022 Inc. 5000 fastest growing private companies

“With the addition of Mony, Tractor will be well-positioned to continue its upward trajectory in a tough competitive environment,” says the Idaho-headquartered company.

Shand Import appoints brand development manager
Shand Import appoints brand development manager

LA specialist spirits importer Shand Import has appointed Jenna Elie as Brand Development Manager for the East Coast reporting to Founder and Managing Member Moji Shand.

Elie will be instrumental in expanding the on- and off-premise footprint for Shand Import’s portfolio of spirits, including Black Bull Scotch Whisky, Duncan Taylor’s Rarest Collection of single malts and Octaves, Storywood Tequila, Philbert Cognac, and Indian Summer Gin, among others.

“Well-recognized within the US whisky community, Jenna earned her stripes working for more than five years as a Brand Ambassador for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America,” says Shand Import as it announces the appointment.

“Her knowledge of 150 different distilleries, looking after their 6,000 members and hosting tastings across a multitude of brands and expressions positions her perfectly for her new role at Shand Import.

“As @WhiskyAGoGirl on Instagram, Jenna has carved out an impressive social media following and established herself as a powerful and influential industry voice – reviewing whiskies from around the globe for her rabid followers with her trademark style and approachability.”

Shand Import imports small-batch spirits from around the world that are family owned or have great backstories, selling them into top-end liquor stores, hotels, bars, and restaurants.