US wine major Jackson Family Wines has named former Upfield and Nestlé executive Tim Brown as its new CEO.
Brown succeeds Rick Tigner, who is retiring after more than three decades at the family-owned business.
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Tigner has held the role of president at the Kendall-Jackson wine maker since 1991, adding the position of CEO in 2010.
In a statement, California-based Jackson Family Wines, which also has wineries in Chile, Europe, South Africa and Australia, said Tigner had led the company “through significant growth and market expansion”.
The business said it was “focused on strengthening that strong foundation and positioning the business for long-term success under Brown’s leadership”.
Barbara Banke, chairman and proprietor of Jackson Family Wines, said Brown’s “broader consumer background brings a fresh perspective that complements the extensive wine expertise and institutional knowledge across our leadership team”.
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By GlobalDataShe added: “Together, that allows us to stay focused on quality, vineyards, and culture, while continuing to think creatively about how we build for the future.”
Brown was president and CEO of Upfield’s business in North America from 2019 to 2024. Since then, he has worked an advisory role at the plant-based group.
He joined the Becel spreads maker after 18 months as president and COO at US dairy group Chobani up to August 2018.
Brown spent 19 years at Nestlé, including three years as CEO of the Swiss giant’s business in Canada and four as president and CEO of the company’s waters arm in North America.
He described Jackson Family Wines as “a remarkable company with a strong sense of purpose, deep respect for the land, and an extraordinary portfolio of wineries”.
The company’s portfolio of wine brands includes Benvolio in Italy, Château Lassègue in Bordeaux and Giant Steps in Australia’s Yarra Valley.
Tigner said: “I am incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Jackson Family Wines and thankful to the family for their trust in me.”
Last year, the company laid off an undisclosed number of employees.
At the time, the group said it had “made some recent adjustments as part of broader efforts to navigate the challenging business environment facing many in and beyond our industry and to protect the long-term health of our business”.
