V&S Absolut Spirits has announced its new global travel retail (GTR) structure which became operative on January 1, 2006, under the directorship of Anders Olsson.

The structure is divided up into three main areas: financial, strategic development, and sales. Strategic Development Manager is Magnus Bidestam, previously Area Director Canada, Central America and Caribbean (domestic).
Reporting to him are Trade Marketing Manager Christian Westerberg, previously Manager Purchasing, Point of Image Materials, and Project Manager Helena Nordlund, who moves from her position as Assistant to Anders Olsson. GTR controller is Michael ?st-Jensen, assisted by Hanne Hilslev-Nielsen.
V&S says that the sales team remains more or less the same, although Marc Fogtmann, currently Trade Marketing Manager, moves into a position as Area Manager Asia Pacific. Torben Vedel-Andersen remains Area Director Americas and Henrik Frandsen Area Director EU/Middle East/Africa. Reijo Burtsov is Area Director Nordic/CEE and Vibeke Christensen is Area Manager Nordic.
‘We now have a strong, experienced and dynamic team in place to take V&S Absolut Spirits forward in global travel retail,’ says Anders Olsson. ‘The combination of a formidable brand portfolio and a dedicated GTR team will make V&S a real force to be reckoned with. Working closely with our distribution partner Maxxium, we expect 2006 to be one of our most successful years to date.’