The UK unit of Jose Cuervo overseer Proximo Spirits has appointed Johnny Roberts as its next GM.
The division confirmed the move earlier this week. When contacted by Global Drinks Intel, a spokesperson for Proximo Spirits UK said the subsidiary had previously had an “interim GM” in Alex Ouziel, the former president of Asia, Middle East & Africa at Bacardi.
Roberts (below), who started his career in alcohol with a four-and-a-half-year stint in China with AB InBev, moves across from Berry Bros & Rudd, where his 17-year tenure culminated in almost eight years as the company’s MD of brands.
“We are delighted to welcome Johnny to the team,” said Proximo’s MD for EMEA & Asia Pacific, and Roberts’ line manager, Shane Hoyne. “His commercial expertise and strong track record in the industry make him an excellent fit to lead Proximo UK into its next phase of growth.”
In results for the three months to the end of March, announced at the end of April, Proximo, which is owned by Cuervo and handles the Mexican group’s non-domestic operations, booked a 13.5% slide in sales. The performance was ‘led’ by the ‘US & Canada’ region, where quarterly sales slumped by 26.3% on the corresponding period in 2025.
