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Former Matthew Clark chairman Francis Gordon Clark passes away

Published:  06 April, 2020

Francis Gordon Clark, former chairman of Matthew Clark and great, great grandson of the national distributor’s eponymous founder, died last week in his Winchester home after losing his battle with lung cancer.

Clark, who was 85, had risen through the firm to become chairman in 1975, was also a past chair of The Benevolent (trade industry charity, now The Drinks Trust), which more recently saw his cousin, David Cox, at the helm as chief executive from 2013 to 2018.

During his time at the then family-run company, Francis Gordon Clark had been instrumental in working with two of the leading agency principals, Martell Cognac and De Kuyper Liqueurs. As chairman he went on to oversee the acquisition of other premium agencies during his tenure, including brands such as Taittinger, Graham’s, The Macallan, Janneau, Jameson and Grand Marnier.

"Francis was a highly respected trade figure during the decades of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s and built Matthew Clark into one of the UK’s most premium wine and spirit agency firms whilst retaining the family ethos," Cox wrote in a statement on his cousin's passing. 

Clark parted with the company in 1992 before it was sold to Constellation Brands.

A small family funeral will take place in due course.



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