27 August, 2008
Page 14
The board of Cutty Sark International has confirmed Jeremy Parsons as the company's new chief executive.
Patrick O'Driscoll has been named chief executive and president of Malibu-Kahlúa International. O'Driscoll brings 22 years' international industry experience. He joins from Chivas Brothers, where he was commercial director.
Douglas Cruickshank is Chivas Brothers' new operations and spirit supply director. He has been production director for the company since 1992. Cruickshank is responsible for 16 malt distilleries bottling sites at Dumbarton, Newbridge and Paisley, as well as Pernod Ricard's Glasgow grain distillery and Beefeater gin production in London.
Former Somerfield wine buyer Angela Mount, whose taste buds were once famously insured for £10 million, is to join the board of Great Western Wine Company as a non-executive director.
The Thresher Group, the UK's largest specialist drinks retailer, has appointed Yvonne Rankin as chief executive. Formerly she was chief executive officer of the central and southern European division of international retailer, AS Watson. Prior to AS, she was chief executive of the Co-operative group's specialist retail businesses, responsible for more than 1,500 stores.
New Zealand producer Winegrowers of Ara has appointed Simon Beck as sales and marketing director to grow its brands on the worldwide market. Beck joins from Matua Valley Wines.
Nick Paget has joined Cobra Beer as commercial director. Adrian McKeon is now chief executive and Will Ghali marketing director.
Paget was at Beam Global with McKeon and rose to sales director for the UK and Ireland.
Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada, part of distributor Southern Wine & Spirits of America, has made John Wittig its executive vice president, general manager. Wittig has worked for Genesee Brewing Company and for Joseph E Seagram and Brown-Forman. Most recently, he was president of Glazier's Union Beverage Company in Illinois.
Suffolk-based English cider maker Aspall has appointed John Leawood, formerly with Carlsberg UK, HP Bulmer and Courage, as key account manager for on-trade.
Philippa Haywood has joined HBJ Wine & Spirits, based in Suffolk, to manage its accounts in southern England. An associate of the Institute of Wines & Spirits, she g ained her Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma while working for the UK's major wine warehouse retailer, Majestic.