International winery Beck Family Estates has appointed David Burford as its CEO, replacing decade-long stalwart Chris de Toit.
Burford, who has worked for companies in the Coca-Cola system and Heineken, took the helm on 1 July.
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De Toit served as CEO of Beck Family Estates for ten years, having previously done an eleven-year stint as the business manager of Rustenberg Wines.
Beck Family Estates has wineries in Oregon and South Africa. The family produces and imports a range of still wines from Graham Beck’s premium sparkling wines to Abbott Claim’s ‘Due North’ Pinot Noir.
Burford has spent most of his career in the beverage industry. In the early 2000s, he was regional sales manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises, before that entity merged with Coca-Cola Iberian Partners. He then moved into the alcohol category where he was a national account manager at Carlsberg. In 2003, he transitioned to a similar position at Anheuser-Busch.
Burford’s most recent role was at Heineken, where he was general manager of the Dutch brewer’s craft subsidiary CSB, Stellenbrau Brewery, as well as acting GM of Soweto Brewing Co. He spent roughly six years at Heineken.
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By GlobalData“I am both humbled and honoured for the opportunity to lead Beck Family Estates as the new CEO,” Burford said in a LinkedIn post. “The business has a wealth of talent and experience in its people and the leadership team have made smart choices to get it to where it is today. With this solid base of people, business partners, and portfolio we are in great shape to premiumise and expand even further.”
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