Berry Bros & Rudd has appointed Dan Jago, group wine director at Tesco, as its new chief executive, Decanter.com can reveal.
Dan Jago is expected to take up the position of Berry Bros & Rudd CEO in early October and will be responsible for ‘overseeing the whole business’, from fine wine to spirits and even the company’s stake in Anchor Steam brewery in San Francisco, California.
‘We needed a wine trade businessman’
‘We needed someone who understands all aspects of the wine business,’ Berry Bros chairman Simon Berry told Decanter.com today (12 August) on the strategy behind Jago’s appointment.
‘What we needed was a businessman, but a wine trade businessman,’ he said, adding that he was thrilled to be bringing someone of Jago’s experience onboard.
The news also follows a difficult period for Tesco‘s wine division.
Last autumn, Jago was one of several Tesco directors temporarily suspended amid a company-wide investigation into overstated profits. No charges were brought against Jago he was fully re-instated as ‘category director – group wine’ at Tesco earlier this year.
The ‘ultimate’ job
Ex-Navy man Jago joined Tesco as category director for wines, beer and spirits in 2006, having previously worked at the Bibendum wine merchant.
At Berry Bros, the official wine merchant of the Queen, Jago will work closely with Jeremy Parsons, who has been appointed chief operating officer.
‘I have spent most of my working life in the drinks business and, for me, this is perhaps the ultimate job,’ said Jago.
Earlier this year, Berry Bros’ managing director, Hugh Sturges, left the company after 14 years, prompting a senior management re-shuffle. Berrys’ reported net losses of £5.7m in the year to the end of March 2014, but net sales rose by 8% to £149.7m over the same period and the merchant said at the time that its five-year investment plan was still on-track.
