Quintessential Brands has announced changes to its senior leadership team with James Lousada taking the helm as Chief Executive Officer as the spirits company affirms its focus on establishing itself as ‘the trade’s indispensable spirits partner of choice’.

 

The company’s marketing function also sees new leadership with Rob Curteis, former Global Marketing Director for the company’s gin portfolio, taking on the role of Group Marketing Director; a role which also sees him join the company’s Senior Executive Team.

 

As Group Marketing Director, Curteis is responsible for establishing the Group’s category approach, unlocking further success for the company’s premium brands, including leading gin brands, Greenall’s, Bloom and Opihr, and the company’s Irish brands, including the Dubliner Irish Whiskey.

 

He also leads the team providing dedicated support to trade customers looking to optimise their category offerings by building their own brands and through ‘off the shelf’ commercial brand solutions.

 

NEW DEDICATED CUSTOMER MARKETING TEAM

Curteis’ first task in his new role was to undertake a review of Quintessential Brands’ marketing function, which has resulted in the creation of a dedicated customer marketing team for the UK and EMEA, led by Russell Kirkham, formerly the company’s UK Marketing Director.

 

Kirkham becomes Customer Marketing Director UK & EMEA, tasked with driving excellence in execution with customers in the UK and in key markets within EMEA. Kirkham also oversees the company’s insights function, ensuring customers are given tailored and unbiased advice that serves their needs first.

 

Retailer Brands Marketing Director, Neil Anderson, who joined Quintessential Brands in January, continues in his role, working with retailers looking to unlock greater value from private and own label brands.

 

Under Lousada’s leadership, the Quintessential Brands team is aiming to build on the company’s success to date in the UK, where it has risen to become the no.2 spirits supplier to the off-trade, with a renewed focus on customer-centricity and collaboration, an approach that has served the company well during the pandemic this year.

 

RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES

“I’m incredibly proud of the way everyone at Quintessential Brands has responded to the challenges we’ve faced this year,” said Lousada. “The team has worked tirelessly to support our customers throughout the pandemic so far, recognising that what our customers need most from us is agility, flexibility, collaboration and commitment, and that is exactly what we have demonstrated.

 

“In today’s world, where many operators are looking for category solutions and for guidance on how to respond to the seismic changes this year has brought and their impact on consumer behaviour, Quintessential Brands is very well-placed to help.

“We’re committed to being the supplier that our customers know they can trust to always deliver, be it with innovative product development, first-class customer service or credible, cutting-edge insights and we will continue to prove this as we support our customers through the challenging months ahead.”

 

The Quintessential Brands Senior Executive team has undergone a raft of changes this year with Alex Pollard joining as CFO in January 2020, and Group General Counsel, Jacqueline Drury, appointed in May of this year following her promotion from Senior Legal Counsel.