Foster’s wine division picks global brands chief marketer

Foster’s EMEA, producer of premium wine brands, has appointed Richard Trimby as marketing director EMEA and Global Brands Rosemount and Lindemans.

Trimby will transfer from his current position as commercial director for Continental Europe. He takes up the responsibilities previously handled by James Lousada and reports to Foster’s EMEA managing director Peter Jackson.

Lousada left Foster’s EMEA to become senior vice-president of marketing and business development at Constellation Europe in March.

Trimby has previously worked in a variety of sales, marketing and commercial roles. He spent ten years at Diageo before joining Rosemount Estate as European brand director, and then became regional director Nordics for Southcorp Wines.

He was promoted to his current role following the integration of the Southcorp and Foster’s Group business with EMEA in 2006. Wine brands handled by Foster’s includes Wolf Blass, Lindemans, Penfolds and Rosemount.

Last year RKCR/Y&R was appointed to handle the repositioning of Lindemans. The agency had already been handed the advertising business for Rosemount Estate.

Foster’s has been pursuing a positioning as a supplier of international wines rather than strictly an Australian wine company. For instance, Chilean wines have been introduced to the Lindemans brand.

Jackson says: “During Richard’s tenure as commercial director he was instrumental in expanding our customer and distributor partnerships across Europe, growing our core business. He also led the project to establish our in-market sales and marketing organisation in the Nordic countries.”