Campbell is new Benevolent chief

Published: 23 July, 2008

by Christian Davis

Michael Campbell, the former buying director of First Quench, will be the next chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trades' Benevolent Society. The 58-year-old will take over from David Skinner who retires at the end of August. Campbell along with Ralph Hayward, and Brian Wilson, left First Quench shortly after First Quench's new owners, Nomura brought in David Williams as the new chief executive (see Harpers print edition, 9 March). Prior to First Quench and Thresher, Campbell was the group wine and spirit buyer from Booker. Outgoing Benevolent chairman Bill Page paid tribute to David Skinner at the society's annual general meeting on 12 June. He said: "I salute you on behalf of those here (at the AGM) and those who are not, but particularly our beneficiaries who I have seen at first hand have considerable respect and affection for you." Page reported that the number of Benevolent beneficiaries had risen by 20 to 340. The Benevolent banquet moves back to the traditional second Monday in May (next year: 13 May, 2002), this year's banquet on the first evening of the London International Wine & Spirit Fair, having failed to attract additional guests. Nevertheless, it produced a record surplus of 50,000. Two Benevolent beneficiaries have died: care home resident 92-year-old Trixie Chapman and 85-year-old Richard Taylor. The new chairman of the Benevolent is Andrew Reed of William Reed Publishing.

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