Constellation Brands has filled the position of chief sales officer for wine & spirits vacated by Matt Deegan last year, with group GM Jim Casey taking on the role.
Casey, who shifted across from Treasury Wine Estates to Constellation in 2018, will be responsible for “leading the [wine & spirits] division’s US wholesale commercial business”, the company said this week. The move fills the space created when Deegan left the group in July to become Proximo Spirits’ chief sales officer for the US & Canada.
Casey’s tenure with Constellation started at sales VP & GM level before he graduated to senior VP & GM status in mid-2019. His career in the alcohol industry has also included eight years with E&J Gallo Winery and five with Diageo.
The appointment is not related to the news earlier this month that the division’s president, Robert Hanson, will leave at the end of February. When contacted by Global Drinks Intel, a company spokesperson said: “Constellation is in the process of identifying a successor to the … president – wine & spirits role.
“We hope to have an update to share in the near future.”
Another appointment was announced this week, as Jennifer Russell-Smith, who transitioned with the acquired High West Whiskey business to the group seven years ago, was confirmed as wine & spirits HR senior VP.
For the three months to the end of November, Constellation reported a 1% year-on-year sales lift, representing a deceleration in group performance for the fiscal year to date, which concludes at the end of next month.
