Bacardi picks Newton as rum and vermouth chief

Bacardi-Martini has appointed former InBev and Nestl矒owntree senior marketer Liam Newton as director of marketing for the Bacardi rum portfolio and Martini vermouth, with immediate effect.

Liam%20NewtonBacardi-Martini has appointed former InBev and Nestl?owntree senior marketer Liam Newton as director of marketing for the Bacardi rum portfolio and Martini vermouth, with immediate effect.

Newton left his role as brand controller at InBev UK following a major restructure of the brewer’s marketing department (MW January 12, 2006). He joined Interbrew UK, as the company was then known, in May 2004 as the drinks company’s first brand controller, overseeing the entire brand portfolio, including Stella Artois and Boddington’s.

Before InBev, Newton was head of brand marketing at Nestl?owntree but lost his job as a result of then managing director Chris White’s overhaul of the confectionery company’s marketing strategy (MW February 19, 2004). He was at one time tipped as a possible marketing director at Nestl?owntree.

At Bacardi-Martini, he will lead the development and execution of consumer marketing strategy and plans for the Bacardi rum portfolio and Martini vermouth within the UK marketing team, reporting directly to Andrew Carter, the marketing director for Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands. BBFB is Bacardi’s joint venture with US wine and spirits group Brown Forman, and distributes the Bacardi rum portfolio, Martini, Grey Goose vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin and Bacardi Breezer plus Brown Formans Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort and Finlandia vodka.

Carter, a former Bulmers and then Castlemaine XXXX marketer, was previously director of marketing for Bacardi’s spirits range, until being named marketing director for the entire BBFB product range in January this year.