Brown Brothers has appointed its chief sales executive, Dean Carroll, as its new CEO.
From December 11, Mr Carrol will replace Roland Wahlquist, who has guided the family-owned winery for the past five years and plans to retire after more than 25 years with the company.
Mr Carrol initially joined Brown Brothers in 2007 as its national sales manager, having previously worked with Fine Wine Partners, Tucker Seabrook and Diageo.
He says he is honoured to lead the Brown Brothers team and looks forward to further developing the groundwork laid by Mr Wahlquist during his time as CEO.
“I’m excited and honoured to lead this wonderful family company and firmly believe we’re well placed to take the next step in terms of sustainable growth both domestically and internationally,” Mr Carrol said.
“If we are to fulfil our potential we must continually strive to improve, be it in wine/viticulture quality, brand trial experiences or by working more closely with our customers to better understand the connection between consumption and shopper occasions.
“Ultimately, I know there are tremendously committed people within this company and I look forward to working with each of them to unlock our growth potential, and having some fun in the process.”
Brown Brothers Executive Director and third-generation family member Ross Brown said Mr Wahlquist, who joined Brown Brothers as a winemaker in 1990, had been instrumental in the success and growth of the company.
“Roland’s focused leadership has seen the company continue to innovate and grow, placing Brown Brothers in a tremendously strong position within this challenging industry,” Mr Brown said.