New CEO appointed at Direct Wines

By Oliver Catchpole

Published: 05 December, 2025

Family-owned retailer Direct Wines Ltd – best known in the UK for Laithwaites and the Sunday Times Wine Club – has appointed Philippa Strub as the new group CEO.

Strub joined Direct Wines in 2012, becoming UK MD in 2018. Direct Wines said that she is taking on the role at “a challenging time for the industry” but that there is lots to look forward to as ”key partnerships and innovations take shape” for the business.

She takes over from David Gates, the previous CEO, who spent most his career in the drinks industry working for Diageo, joining Direct Wines after leaving Brewdog during the pandemic.

Read more: SIBA issues open letter on Budget concerns

He is retiring from working full-time after Christmas, intending to pursue a portfolio career.

Reflecting on her promotion, Strub explained: “As a family-owned business we have the privilege and opportunity of taking a long-term view of how wine and wine-selling needs to adapt to changes in customer and government behaviour.

“I’m really up for that challenge and believe I have the team to drive the change we need to see.”

Commenting on Strub’s new role, family chair Will Laithwaite said that “Philippa’s track record is exemplary, she’s very much a proven winner and we’re excited to see how she makes the most of this new suite of responsibilities”.

Thanking Gates for his time at the company, Laithwaite added that he brought “world-class brand thinking to the business as well as championing a successful program of talent development”.

Direct Wines was established in 1969 by Tony Laithwaite, who is still involved in the business, which remains family-owned. One of the UK’s largest wine merchants, it sells direct-to-consumer in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand (with franchises in other markets).

Earlier this year, Laithwaites partnered with Deliveroo in the UK, making its wines available for on-demand delivery for the first time.

Printer friendly version