Men of wine dominate WSTA's new executive board

Published: 23 July, 2008

Members of the wine trade dominate the list of appointees to what The Wine & Spirit Trade Association describes as the new, lean' executive board which was unveiled at the body's AGM earlier this week.

The new, fifteen-strong, all-male board features names from all aspects of the wine and spirit trade, including retail and logistics. But there is a strong bias towards wine, with the representatives from the UK's two biggest drinks companies - Diageo's Nick Hyde and Allied Domecq's Adrian McKeon - and also Brown Forman's David Cox, all working for their respective companies' wine divisions.

Set up on the recommendation of the Working Group formed to look into the WSTA's structure, operations and governance' earlier this year, the new lean organisation that starts operating today [28 June] will ensure rapid and effective responses to the trade's needs for early warnings, support, information and consultation', according to the WSTA's newly appointed chairman, Barry Sutton. We look forward to a new stage in the WSTA's development that will result in a more efficient representation of and response to our members' needs,' Sutton added.

The full executive board comprises: Christopher Carson (Constellation), Allan Cheesman (ex-Sainsbury's, consultant), Rick Connor (Pernod Ricard/Chivas Brothers), David Cox (Brown Forman Wines Europe), Tim How (Majestic), Nick Hyde (Diageo), Dan Jago (Bibendum), Patrick McGrath (Hatch Mansfield), Adrian McKeon (Allied Domecq Wines), Bill Page (Mentzendorff), Mike Paul (Western Wines), Bob Rishworth (Halewood International), Chris Searle (Bacardi-Martini), Johnny Wheeler (Lay & Wheeler), and Tom Yusef (FFG Hillebrand).

As well as the new board, the Association had hoped to be able to reveal the identity of its new director general at the AGM. According to a WSTA spokeswoman, however, the final decision on the newcomer - who will have greater powers and responsibilities than the outgoing director, Quentin Rappoport - has yet to be made.

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