Changing of the guard at Taittinger

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 16 October, 2019

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger is to step down as president of the eponymous family-owned Champagne house at the end of 2019.

He will be succeeded by his daughter, Vitalie Taittinger, currently the company’s director of marketing and communications. Her brother Clovis will take charge of the sales and marketing function at the house, with a promotion to the role of general manager alongside Damien le Sueur.

Vitalie joined Taittinger after her father bought the house back from US private equity firm Starwood Capital in 2006.

Pierre-Emmanuel said: “I have dedicated more than 45 years of my life to Champagne and the House that bears our name and our history. These last thirteen years have undoubtedly been the most effervescent, the most exhilarating of my career at Taittinger.

“I can hand over the reins, secure in a sense of accomplishment: a passionate team in whom I have complete confidence, very fine wines, a large and growing number of fans of our brand in more than 140 countries around the world.”

Vitalie said: “My father, through his passion and boundless commitment over the last thirteen years, has built up a solid organisation devoted to a very fine patrimonial and human project.

“We owe him the independence so fundamental to the identity of our house. Thanks to him and to the work of all concerned, Taittinger has grown considerably with an ever-increasing attention to the quality of our wines, the preservation of our environment, the respect of our partners and our customers.”

Founded in 1734, Champagne Taittinger currently has some 288 ha of vineyards. In 2018 it shipped some 6.5m bottles to 149 countries worldwide.

In May 2017 it became the first French Champagne house to plant a vineyard in England, acquiring a 20ha site in Kent which it has named Domaine Evremond. Earlier this year, it added a further 8.5ha to the vineyard.

The first English wines are not expected before 2023.

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