Codorníu Raventós appoints senior Percy Fox exec to head UK business

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 03 October, 2014

John Hearn, global commercial director for Diageo's wine arm Percy Fox, is to become the new managing director of Codorníu Raventós in the UK.

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Hearn replaces Nick Mantella, who left the business in May after 12 years and now works at United Wineries, and takes up the new role on October 6.

Hearn joins Codorníu Raventós from Diageo where he was global commercial director for Percy Fox. He has worked in the wine trade for 27 years and was with Diageo for the last 18 years.

David Losantos, European commercial director, who has been managing the UK market while the search for a new UK chief was going on, said: "This appointment is part of our long-term plan to invest in and grow our UK business. John has a wealth of experience to bring to our UK operation helping us to strengthen our key brands (Codorníu and Viña Pomal), as well as our agency brands Invivo (New Zealand) and Thorn-Clarke (Australia), and to explore new opportunities."

Hearn said: "I am very excited to be joining Codorníu Raventós, this business has a fantastic history, great brands and a flair for innovation. The UK wine market is very challenging at this time, which is why we need to focus on building strong brands, engaging with our consumers and working on category solutions that will both excite and inspire shoppers to buy."

Codorníu Raventós has also just appointed a new senior national account manager Mark Rimmer. Rimmer joins from InterContinental Brands (IBC) where he looked after Sainsbury´s, Tesco and M&S accounts. Mark also has 28 years experience in the UK wine trade.

Earlier this year Losantos told Hareprs.co.uk that "Codorníu Raventós is the number one company in Spain for Cava and DO quality wine production so we believe there is definitely more potential for us in the UK market."

The UK is the firm's top European market, and as such is "very important to us", Losantos said.

He added that the "the biggest opportunity for Cava" is to "capitalise on its status as the UK's longstanding favourite sparkling wine and to communicate its quality and value to the UK consumer".

During the summer it ran a Codorníu Cava Revolution campaign, which is aimed at encouraging consumers to take a fresh look at Cava. It was led by two brand ambassadors, acclaimed Spanish chef José Pizarro and wine educator, Ashika Mathews.

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