Halewood Wines & Spirits has confirmed a number of changes to its business structure as a result of the “significant financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Simon Roffe
As well as changes throughout its International markets, the company has also confirmed Simon Roffe, Managing Director Global Travel Retail, will leave the business at the end of April. Roffe had very successfully launched the Halewood Wines & Spirits portfolio, including Whitley Neill Handcrafted Dry Gin, in global travel retail.
The management of Halewood’s travel retail unit will be transferred to Eamon Prunty as of May 1, 2020.
Roffe commented: “I am very sad that the Halewood chapter in my career has come to an end. It has been a very different journey from my previous roles in large multinational drinks companies, but a fabulous one.
“To have developed Whitley Neill from a zero base to the position of one of the leading premium gins globally across the duty free & travel retail network is something of which I am especially proud. I would like to thank personally all the marketing agency partners, trade agents and distributors as well as the wider duty free & travel community for believing in me … and for supporting that success.
“In what has been, essentially, a start-up business, I have been able to draw on all the good practices, principles and contacts from my days at Diageo and Rémy Cointreau but, more importantly, have had to take a firm “hands-on” approach and that has been particularly enjoyable.
“Clearly, I am very keen to chase the next opportunity and to use my broad experience in new projects,” continued Roffe. “This is a very challenging time for our industry, and one the like of which we have never experienced before, but it is also a great time for brands to plan ahead so that they will be in a position to benefit when normality returns.”
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Eamon Prunty joined Halewood in December 2018 in the European Export Business and for the last year has been focusing on travel retail distribution development in the UK and Europe. His new role will give him a global remit, working closely with duty free & travel retail business partners in all channels globally.
Halewood Wines & Spirits is the UK’s largest independent alcoholic drinks manufacturer and distributor.
Family-owned, Halewood’s key brands include award-winning Whitley Neill Gin, J.J. Whitley Gins and Vodka, Crabbie Whisky, Dead Man’s Fingers Rums, Peaky Blinders Spirits, City Of London Distillery, Liverpool Gins, Marylebone Gin, Aber Falls Distillery, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, The Pogues Irish Whiskey, Red Square Vodka.
To see TMI’s exclusive inter-view with Simon Roffe about Whitley Neill’s growth in the Americas, please click here.
