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John Esposito is to join SPI Group as President of its US operations |
SPI Group, brand owner of Stolichnaya vodka, has announced the appointment of John Esposito as President of its US operations. This follows the decision taken by SPI to establish its own importing company in the US and manage its portfolio of brands directly, starting from 1 January 2014.
Esposito has over 20 years’ experience holding leadership positions in the US retail, distribution and brand owner segments of the sector, most recently as President and CEO of Bacardi North America. Before that, he was CEO of Moët Hennessy USA, President of Schieffelin & Somerset and, on the distribution side, President of Premier Beverage in Florida.
He started his career as Sales Manager with Seagram and “his history of managing and directing the growth of great brands throughout his career makes him an excellent choice to lead the Stoli brand,” SPI said.
It continued: “John’s vast and diverse experience in the wine and spirit industry has provided him with a holistic perspective, from building brands and empowering teams to developing strong and profitable businesses. At SPI North America, John’s first priority will be setting up a high-performing organisation of sales, marketing, finance and supply chain professionals across the US.”
Esposito starts in his new role on 28 January and will be based at the Stoli US headquarters in New York.
SPI Group CEO Val Mendeleev: “We are very proud to have John build and lead our US operations. He is one of the most experienced and respected executives in our industry. I am confident that John will be a very successful leader to drive the Stoli business forward in the US, Stoli’s largest market, and face all the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.”
Commenting on his new role, Esposito said: “Stoli is one of the most iconic brands in the category. I’m thrilled to be part of this exciting project.
“I look forward to forming a strong way of working with William Grant & Sons – the current distributors of Stoli in the US – to ensure a smooth transition of the brand, while building the Stoli team in the US that will guide the brand for the future.”
