Constellation Brands and Beam Suntory are among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.
Constellation Brands and Beam Suntory are among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.
The Coca‑Cola Company appointed Jorge Garduño, who has led the company’s business in Japan and South Korea since 2020, as the company’s new Chief Customer & Commercial Officer.
Garduño is due to begin his new role Feb. 1, 2024. He will succeed Elaine Bowers Coventry, who is taking a newly created role in the company’s Europe operating unit as President, Europe East Operations.
Garduño joined the company in 1992. He went on to hold positions in commercial operations, marketing and key accounts at Coca‑Cola Mexico. He later served in general manager roles for Coca‑Cola Colombia, Coca‑Cola Thailand and Coca‑Cola Chile. He was then named managing director of Spain, Portugal and Andorra for Coca‑Cola Iberia.
Besides his operational positions, Garduño has served on the boards of ThaiNamthip in Thailand, Coca‑Cola Amatil in Australia and Coca‑Cola COFCO in China.
Most recently, Garduño has been based in Tokyo. He was named president of the company’s former Japan business unit in 2017 before being promoted to his current role in 2020.
Garduño is a native of Mexico and a graduate of Tec de Monterrey Mexico. He has an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Beam Suntory has appointed Jamey Martin as the company’s Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Officer.
Martin will be responsible for making an impact across the company’s three-pillar DEI strategy of Workplace, Workforce and Marketplace. She will lead a DEI team that works in close partnership across talent acquisition and management; employee learning and development; and global employee impact groups.
Martin will report directly to Paula Erickson, Senior Vice President and Chief People, Culture & Communications Officer, with a dotted line to President & CEO Greg Hughes.
Martin joins Beam Suntory following a 15-year career at Mondelēz International, serving as the company’s Sr. Director, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In that role, she was credited with leading DEI-focused sponsorship, leadership development and employee training programs for the global organization comprised of 91,000 team members.
Martin previously held HR leadership roles of increasing responsibility, providing strategic guidance and support to its commercial, finance, supply chain and manufacturing teams: including positions at Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Anheuser Busch.
Constellation Brands has made a series of appointments across its finance; corporate strategy; and innovation, consumer insights and digital divisions.
Innovation, Consumer Insights & Digital
Andrew Zrike has been appointed SVP, Innovation & Consumer Insights for the company’s beer and wine and spirits businesses: with a focus on developing integrated growth plans. Zrike joined Constellation in 2019 and has helped lead the development of products such as Modelo Oro, Modelo Aguas Frescas, and Corona Non-Alcoholic.
Karena Breslin has assumed expanded responsibilities as SVP, Digital, Transformation & Media, leading the company’s transformation and digital business acceleration efforts.
Breslin joined Constellation in 2010 – establishing the company’s digital marketing function and developing ecommerce capabilities – and will continue to oversee Constellation’s digital, media and marketing tech functions.
Finance
Michael Becka – who joined Constellation in 2017 - has assumed expanded responsibilities as SVP, Corporate Finance, where he will serve as lead for the company’s Tax, Controller, and Treasury teams.
Sandy Dominach has assumed expanded responsibilities as SVP, Beer Finance, in addition to overseeing the company’s Enterprise Risk Management function. Dominach has held a number of Finance leadership roles in Treasury, Financial Planning, and Enterprise Risk Management since joining Constellation in 2003.
Joe Suarez – who joined Constellation in 2021 - has been appointed SVP, Investor Relations.
Steve King has been appointed SVP, Corporate Development, and Financial Planning & Analytics. King has served in a number of roles with increasing responsibility in areas such as audit, financial analysis, financial management, and business development since joining Constellation in 2008.
Corporate Strategy
Mike McGrew has assumed expanded responsibilities for corporate strategy and analytics, in addition to leading the company’s communications, ESG and diversity efforts as EVP, Chief Communications, Strategy, ESG & Diversity Officer. McGrew joined Constellation in 2014 and has worked on evolving and enhancing the company’s strategies and capabilities in numerous areas: including communications and public relations, investor relations, corporate social responsibility, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Drinks Ireland, the Ibec group that represents the Irish drinks sector, has announced that David Boyd-Armstrong of Rademon Estate Distillery in Co Down has been elected to a two-year term as Chair of Drinks Ireland Spirits Council, taking over from Bryan Fallon of Heaven Hill.
Boyd-Armstrong will chair Drinks Ireland | Spirits, which represents the spirits industry across the island of Ireland on policy advocacy, taxation, trade & market developments.
It also champions the ongoing international protection of Ireland’s Geographic Indicators (GIs): which in spirits cover Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Poitín.
David is Director Distilling & Blending at Rademon Estate Distillery, which he co-founded with Fiona Boyd-Armstrong in 2012. The Rademon Estate is one of the oldest in the country and the Distillery is famous for its Shortcross Gin.
He is also a Warden Rectifier in the Gin Guild and was previously Vice-Chair of the Drinks Ireland | Spirits council.
2022 was a 'landmark year' for Irish Drinks exports, according to the Irish Food Board, Bord Bia. Irish whiskey is a key export, with value growth of 25%.
Dublin-headquartered premium drinks company C&C Group plc has appointed Andrew Andrea as Chief Financial Officer.
Andrea will join C&C as CFO and Executive Director, effective 1 March 2024. Ralph Findlay, who has served as Executive Chair since May 2023, will revert to the role of Non-Executive Chair following a short transition period.
Andrew Andrea is a drinks industry veteran having served in senior roles at Marston’s plc, an independent brewing and pub retailing business in the UK, for over 20 years. He joined Marston’s in 2002 and was appointed to the Board as Finance Director in 2009. He served in a variety of senior roles in the business including 12 years as CFO & Corporate Development Officer and, subsequently, as CEO during which time he navigated the business out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent challenging macroeconomic environment.
He previously held roles with Guinness Brewing Worldwide and Bass Brewers Limited.
Andrea, a qualified Chartered Accountant, is also a Non-Executive Director at Portmeirion Group plc.
C&C Group manufactures, markets and distributes branded beer, cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks across the UK and Ireland: including Bulmers, Magners, Tennent’s, and Orchard Pig.
Club Soda, the UK mindful drinking movement and alcohol-free hub, has re-jigged its team.
Josh Kelly (left), newly appointed as head buyer and brand relationship manager, is Club Soda’s former shop manager. Having been part of the Low and No movement since 2017, Kelly has a broad perspective of the sector both within the UK and abroad. He is a regular judge and guest panellist at industry competitions such as the IWSC and World Alcohol-Free Awards, Imbibe and London Wine Fair, and has led training for market leaders including Diageo and 67 Pall Mall.
Joining the team as shop manager, Nicolas Medicamento (right) brings an entrepreneurial spirit and creativity to Club Soda’s bar and tasting room. An inspiring speaker and bar trainer, Medicamento has judged prestigious industry competitions, and uses his expertise to elevate the standards of the hospitality industry. Nicolas often joins forces with luxury brands and renowned chefs; his ability to innovate cocktails and curate remarkable dining experiences makes him a sought-after collaborator. He was an integral part of the team when Borgo Egnazia won Best Hotel of the Year in 2016, then later at The Savoy’s American Bar when it won World’s Best Bar in 2017 and 2018.
Club Soda’s shop and tasting room can be found at 39 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5RR.
