Vagabond Wines appoints new MD
Vagabond Wines has appointed Christobell Giles as its new MD, signalling a new era for the wine bar business after it was rescued by Majestic out of administration earlier this year.
Giles has been promoted from within, having served in the role of acting general manager since August. Her appointment follows a recruitment process led by the Board of Majestic Wine, which considered candidates both internal and external to the buisiness. Majestic acquired Vagabond out of administration in April, securing a total of nine wine bars and 171 jobs.
Back in March, Harpers learned that former MD Stephen Finch officially left the business he founded in December 2023 to pursue other opportunities. In the interim, Vagabond was helmed by MD Matthew Fleming and chaired by Rupert Clevely, founder of Geronimo Inns and Hippo Inns.
Giles said: “I’m delighted to be taking on the role of MD at Vagabond at an incredibly exciting point in the brand’s history.
“We have passionate and knowledgeable teams, great momentum and ambitious growth plans – all of which sets us up for a very bright future as part of the Majestic group. I’m looking forward to working with the leadership team at Vagabond and the Board of Majestic to deliver on that next phase of Vagabond’s growth story.”
Giles joined Vagabond in March 2023 as operations director, bringing experience and expertise from her time at Wagamama, Hilton Hotels and Megan’s Restaurants. She has been a central member of Vagabond’s senior leadership team, overseeing operations across its nine wine bars in London and Birmingham, and the ongoing development of the brand’s food and beverage proposition.
In her expanded role, Giles will take on overall responsibility for delivering Vagabond’s growth strategy, including the expansion of its wine bar portfolio across the UK, the implementation of its new CRM programme, plus investment staff recruitment and development.
Giles will work closely with members of the Board at Majestic, which has undergone a growth spurt following its split from Naked Wines in December 2019. Following its acquisition by Fortress Investment Group, Majestic has opened 20 new stores while ramping up the activities of its B2B division, Majestic Commercial.
Speaking of the recruitment process, John Colley, executive chair and CEO of Majestic, said Giles was the “stand-out choice”.
“Christobell has invaluable experience in the hospitality sector and has already made a huge contribution to Vagabond since joining us 18 months ago. I have been particularly impressed with the way she has stepped up and taken on additional responsibilities as acting general manager since the summer, and I am looking forward to working even more closely with her to deliver on our exciting growth plans for Vagabond in the coming years,” he concluded.
Keywords:
Search
56-58 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9AN
Registered in England No. 6646125. VAT No. 938 4452 95
