WSTA comms director appointed interim CEO

Published: 01 December, 2011

WSTA's communications director Gavin Partington has to step up to the role of interim chief executive as the hunt for Jeremy Beadles replacement continues.

WSTA's communications director Gavin Partington has to step up to the role of interim chief executive as the hunt for Jeremy Beadles replacement continues.

Partington will take up the interim role on January 1, and work alongside outgoing chief executive until the end of January, when Beadles leaves to become corporate relations director for Heineken UK.

It is understood that outgoing chairman Tim How and his replacement Nick Hyde, who is Diageo Wines Europe managing director, are in the middle of the recruitment process. The new permanent chief executive is expected to be in place by April 2012.

Beadles has been chief executive for the past six years.

How said of his departure: "The last six years have seen a radical change in the way the WSTA works on behalf of our industry. The Association's standing with Government and the media has never been higher. We have an excellent team working hard for our membership, which has grown in that time from 200 to 344 businesses."

In the last year the trade body merged with the Gin & Vodka Association, established an anti-fraud unit, launched a subsidiary for Community Alcohol Partnerships and led the development of the Responsibility Deal.

Printer friendly version