Holden moves in Allied Domecq shakeup

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Allied Domecq Wines USA yesterday announced a number of senior organizational and operational changes affecting its California wine business in the areas of marketing, finance and production

A newly appointed chief operating officer will oversee winemaking and production, eliminating the general manager function at a number of wineries. The restructure also means a new job in the wine business for well-known industry executive Mike Holden, who was the group's vice-president Americas duty-free.

"This realignment of our executive management structure has been made to more efficiently manage and promote our recent global and California wine acquisitions," Allied Domecq Wines USA president Bill Newlands said in a statement. "These changes are also being made with an eye on improving wine quality across the company and in building our emerging global wine business, which includes the importing of brands into the US, and the exporting of our California wines to other countries."

Senior vice president of sales Jim Russell, and director of human resources Scott Baxley, remain in their current roles and will continue to represent their departments on the Executive Leadership Team. The following new hires will be part of the Allied Domecq Wines USA Executive Leadership Team, reporting to Bill Newlands:

Jim DeBonis has been named chief operating officer overseeing all operations including, winemaking, production, vineyards and some areas of administration for Allied Domecq's six California wineries. DeBonis comes to Allied Domecq from Franciscan Estates in Napa Valley where he was senior vice president of production for the past three years.  Previously he was executive vice president/director of worldwide operations of Chandon Estates, as well as general manager at Simi Winery in Healdsburg. This is a new position.

Senior managers who will be leaving Allied Domecq Wines USA include: Buena Vista Winery vice president and general manager Stephen Dale; Clos Du Bois general manager Steve Smit; and Calloway Winery general manager Ron McClendon. Tom Hobart, senior vice president of production and previously general manager for Clos Du Bois, is also leaving the company.

Mumm Cuvee Napa general manager Rob McNeil will continue with the company although he will assume some other duties. Glen Salva, general manager at William Hill/Atlas Peak will be taking on some special projects related to wine production.

Chris Stenzel becomes chief financial officer, replacing John Tolmie who is joining Allied Domecq's spirits division in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Stenzel comes to Allied Domecq Wines from Allied Domecq Corporate where he was director of management accounting, based in Bristol, UK.

Chris Lynch has been appointed senior vice president of marketing. Lynch comes to Allied Domecq with a strong global wine background, having been responsible for regional sales in Europe, Asia and Japan for Chandon Estates. He also served as managing director of Chandon Estates Australia and was director of marketing and sales at Domaine Chandon and Simi wineries in California. For the past seven months, Lynch has been the managing director at Lynmar Winery, a boutique Russian River Valley producer.

Mike Holden was named senior vice president of business development and will be focused on developing new wine opportunities in the US, including the imports of Allied Domecq's Spanish and Argentinean wines, and other properties. Holden will also be responsible for developing Allied Domecq's domestic export program. This is a new position.

• Allied Domecq Wines Worldwide is the third largest wine company in the world.  Allied Domecq Wines USA is responsible for the sales, marketing, finance, administration and production of seven California wine brands: Sonoma County's Clos du Bois and Buena Vista Winery; Haywood Estate; Napa Valley's William Hill Winery, Atlas Peak Vineyards and Mumm Cuvée Napa; and Callaway Coastal Winery. Allied Domecq's US wine division also oversees the sales, finance and marketing efforts for several imported wines including Perrier Jouet and Champagne Mumm, Cockburn's Port and New Zealand's Brancott Vineyards.