Chris Gabaldon has been announced as the replacement for Seth Kaufman, whose October departure to become CEO of Vintage Wine Estates in the US was lined up back in July. Speaking to Global Drinks Intel, a spokesperson for the company said that its responsibilities in the region have been overseen on an interim basis by “one of Moët Hennessy’s senior executives with great knowledge of the market”.
Gabaldon’s background is in the high-end hotel industry, having joined Marriott International back in 1999. Having switched to The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co in the US three years later, he has been back with Marriott since late 2020, rising to the role of senior VP for global luxury operations 13 months ago.
“Chris brings diverse and international experience and a broad business background in brand management, operations, sales and business strategy,” his new employer said in a LinkedIn post yesterday. “We welcome and wish him success in his new role.”
Last month, Moët Hennessy booked a 12% decline in Q1 sales, flagging “cautious restocking” by retailers of spirits in the US. The company is majority owned by luxury group LVMH, while Diageo holds a 34% stake.
