Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Primo Water are among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.
Spirits industry association spiritsEUROPE has elected Ian McLernon as new President of the organisation, succeeding Manu Giró, CEO of Destilerias MG in Spain who stood at the helm for the past two years.
Following his election during the General Assembly, he is assuming the role of President for a term of two years. Based in London, Ian McLernon has served Rémy Cointreau for over 6 years, previously as President & CEO of the Americas region based in New York, and as CEO of Global Travel Retail based in Singapore.
The new President will play a key role in helping to promote, protect and grow the European spirits sector in the EU and in third markets.
“In current times of geopolitical tensions and economic volatility, my main objective is to drive forward our sector’s ambitious roadmap and commitments in the areas of environmental sustainability, external trade, consumer information & digital labelling, product innovation, and responsible drinking,” said McLernon.
“Together with our members and the Secretariat, I look forward to working with our partners and interlocutors in the EU Institutions. Our goal is to ensure that EU policies structurally support our sector which contributes to economic growth and job creation throughout our value chain - from the production of agricultural raw materials to the hospitality and tourism - as well as to the social fabric of the local communities, source of undeniable pleasure and well-being."
Primo Water Corporation has appointed Robbert Rietbroek and CEO and to the board of directors, effective January 1, 2024.
In May, the company announced that Tom Harrington - current CEO - would retire once a successor was found.
Robbert Rietbroek is described as a seasoned executive: bringing more than 25 years of experience at Fortune 500 companies to Primo Water, including five years as Senior Vice President and General Manager responsible for Quaker Foods North America (QFNA), a sector of PepsiCo.
Prior to his role at Quaker, Rietbroek was a Senior Vice President and General Manager PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand.
Before his tenure at PepsiCo, Rietbroek served as Vice President and General Manager Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands and Vice President and Global Sector Leader Baby and Child Care at Kimberly-Clark.
Rietbroek also spent nearly 16 years at Procter & Gamble in a variety of management and marketing roles in North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
The Tax Free World Association (TFWA) has appointed Franck Waechter as managing director, who assumed the role from November 2.
Waechter has worked with a number of leading global brands that operate in the duty free and travel retail industry: including L'Oréal, Givenchy, Guerlain, Champagne Laurent-Perrier and Valmont. A French national, he has had a broad international career which has led him to live and work in a number of countries around the world, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, China and Taiwan.
Waechter graduated from the ESSEC Business School in Cergy, France with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He has also completed the program for executive development leadership at the IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is trilingual in French, English and German.
TFWA is the largest association in international duty free and travel retail.
UK brewery Buxton Brewery Company has appointed three key executives.
Having joined the company in August, Rob Topham assumed the role of Technical Director overseeing production at the brewery’s Staden Lane brewing facility. With an extensive background in brewing and production management at Fullers, Camden Town and most recently, ABI, Rob brings a wealth of expertise and innovative strategies to optimise production processes and elevate efficiency within the brewery.
John Hamilton joined the business on November 13 and will take on the position of Area Manager, spearheading the management and operations of Buxton Brewery’s bar operating company – Axe Edge Bars Ltd. Hamilton gained multi-venue management and business development at True North Brew Co.
Finally, Dominic Metcalfe commenced as the new Managing Director on November 9. With a forward-thinking approach and a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities gained through experience at Adnams, Black Isle Brewery and most recently, Thornbridge, Dom will be instrumental in steering Buxton Brewery through its next expansion phase and overseeing the acquisition of additional licenced premises.
The new leadership team's appointments coincide with Buxton Brewery's plans to expand production and acquire additional licenced premises.
UK pub operator Marston’s PLC has appointed a new CEO: Justin Platt.
Platt will take over as CEO from January 2024. He has over 30 years’ experience in hospitality and consumer-facing businesses, having spent the last 12 years at Merlin Entertainments; most recently as Chief Strategy Officer and prior to that in a variety of operational leadership roles.
Having navigated the company through the pandemic and more recently the challenging macroeconomic conditions, outgoing CEO Andrew Andrea has agreed with the Board that he will step down from the role with immediate effect after a tenure of 20+ years.
William Rucker, Chair, will support the management transition in the short interim period with the Executive team reporting directly into him.
Marston’s operates an estate of 1,415 pubs and has a 40% holding in Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company.
(Pic credit: getty/kartr)
Beverage alcohol distributor Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has promoted Ryan Lumaco to the position of Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Alaska, Idaho, and Washington markets.
In this role, Lumaco will report to Patrick Daul, Southern Glazer’s President, Western Region. His promotion will be effective at the end of 2023 following the retirement of current Executive Vice President, General Manager, Pacific Northwest – John Klein.
Lumaco’s 25-year career commenced in 1998, when he joined E. & J. Gallo Winery as a Field Marketing Manager. After 11 years with Gallo, Lumaco embarked on a new chapter in 2009, when he joined Southern Glazer’s as the Vice President, General Manager of Oregon. From there he went on to assume his most recent role of Vice President, General Manager of Washington in 2014.
Pic: getty/klausvedfelt
