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The Drinks Trust inducts five new trustees

Published:  23 July, 2024

The industry’s leading drinks charity has announced the arrival of five new members to its board of trustees, including names from The Glenturret Distillery and Treasury Wine Estates.

The newest tranche of trustees to join The Drinks Trust will be familiar to many, with the likes of Jen Baernreuther representing The Glenturret Distillery and Ian Bray, CEO of soft-drinks manufacturer Fentimans.

Wine is represented too. Tony Watson is the general manager for EMEA & Canada of Treasury Wine Estates. He will be joining The Drinks Trust board alongside Tim Clay, MD at beer and cider juggernaut Asahi UK.

The quintet is completed by Paul Haslam, MD of Cesium Group, a head-hunting and recruitment firm specialising in the drinks industry since 2010.

“We are delighted to introduce our five new trustees, each of whom has made a remarkable impact on our industry by developing and creating highly respected organisations,” Ross Carter, CEO of The Drinks Trust, said.

“Their extensive knowledge is an invaluable asset. We eagerly anticipate working with them on our board to their help in enhancing our services and the lives of those in the industry we help.”

A spirits aficionado with over 20 years’ experience in the industry, Baernreuther has recently been appointed the MD for The Glenturret Distillery. Baernreuther joined The Glenturret from her previous role as commercial director of Speciality Drinks Group (The Whisky Exchange and London Cocktail Week), after it was acquired by drinks giant Pernod Ricard in 2021.

Treasury’s Watson meanwhile counts over 25 years of experience in FMCG and has made contributions to some of the leading drinks businesses across the UK and Europe.

He said: “I am pleased to announce that I have joined the board of The Drinks Trust, an organisation dedicated to providing support and care for individuals in the drinks industry. The Drinks Trust plays a crucial role in supporting the wellbeing and professional development of those in our industry. I look forward to furthering the Trust’s mission and supporting the incredible individuals who make our industry so vibrant and dynamic.”

Bray has been CEO for Fentimans since 2017 and was previously MD of regional brewer Fuller Smith and Turner.

Clay meanwhile has been MD of Asahi UK since January 2018, leading the team of over 700 people. Previously, he was with ABInbev from 1991 to 2013 when he left his final role.

The Drinks Trust also extended its gratitude to Cesium Group for their support in selecting and recruiting the board’s new Trustees.

Their assistance has been “instrumental in helping us make a significant difference in the lives of many individuals within our industry”, the Trust said.




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