Brown-Forman Corporation has announced that Mark McCallum will retire from his position as executive vice president, chief brands officer, on December 31, 2019, when he will reach the mandatory retirement age for executive vice presidents.
McCallum joined Brown-Forman in 2003 as chief marketing officer, and has made many significant contributions to the company's success over the past 16 years. He advanced the company's international expansion during his years as a chief operating officer and elevated the organisation's brand-building capabilities in his current role.
"Mark has a unique blend of strategic, marketing and operational talent which has been a tremendous asset to Brown-Forman," said Brown-Forman, president and chief executive officer, Lawson Whiting. "He has been a valued member of our executive leadership team and a steward of the growth of our company and its brands. Mark has made a positive and lasting imprint on Brown-Forman, and for that we are grateful."
Matias Bentel
Brown-Forman also announced that Matias Bentel will become chief brands officer on January 1, 2020.
Bentel is a 10-year veteran of the company, and, since 2018, has served as senior vice president, managing director, Jack Daniel's Family of Brands, working closely with McCallum and the rest of the brands leadership team.
Bentel joined Brown-Forman in 2008 as marketing director, Latin America and the Caribbean, and served in progressively more senior marketing roles for the Latin America region before being promoted to vice president, chief of staff, in 2014 and vice president, general manager Mexico, in 2016.
Prior to joining Brown-Forman, Bentel served as marketing manager, Latin America and the Caribbean, for Diageo from 2005 until 2007.
"Matias has a broad range of marketing and general management experience, and has been an active member of our company's regional and marketing leadership teams since 2014, where he has participated in the consideration of some of the company’s most important strategic and operational topics," Whiting added. "Those who have worked with him over the last decade know him to be a proven leader with a deeply analytical mind who has demonstrated that he is ready to take on the important responsibilities of chief brands officer for Brown-Forman."
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Aidan O'Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
