Hi-Spirits hires Louis Latour's Dan Bolton as MD

By Harpers Editorial

Published: 12 April, 2013

Hi-Spirits has appointed Dan Bolton to the newly created role of managing director.

Bolton joins the spirits marketer and distributor on May 1 from Louis Latour Agencies, where he has been its managing director for the last two years.

Before joining Louis Latour, Bolton was director of sales at Bibendum Wine and before that national account director at Matthew Clark.

Louis Latour sales director Richard Nunn will oversee the business while Bolton's replacement is recruited.

At Hi-Spirits Bolton will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company and play a strategic role in its growth as part of the senior management team.

His appointment will give co-founders Jeremy and Sue Hill more time to focus on marketing and developing Hi-Spirits' portfolio of co-owned and partner brands.

"The business already combines a strong mix of on-trade and off-trade sales expertise with business acumen and design and marketing flair, and Dan is the ideal choice to focus all these elements on our next phase of expansion," said Jeremy Hill.

"Crucially, it also frees Sue and I to take a more strategic approach to marketing and innovation. We've demonstrated that we can successfully build co-owned brands such as Antica Sambuca and Sebor Absinth; add considerable value to partner brands such as Buffalo Trace, Fireball and Broker's Gin; and develop genuine innovations such as the Pro-pour integral dispenser in our Antica and Volare ranges, and the Vodka One draught brand dispensed through our revolutionary i-font."

Bolton said he would look to drive Hi-Spirits' existing portfolio while keeping an eye on new product opportunities. "My knowledge of both the on-trade and the route-to-market sectors will be a considerable asset in my new role, and I'll be drawing on my experience of building successful teams in order to retain the spirit of adventure and entrepreneurship created by Jeremy and Sue, whilst being able to adapt to the demands that a fast-growing business faces," he added.

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