Bacardi announces new head for Western Europe

Bacardi Limited has announced the appointment of Ignacio del Valle as the regional president of its Western Europe region.

He succeeds Francis Debeuckelaere who is retiring after nearly 30 years with Bacardi. Debeuckelaere has been serving as regional president Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand (EUROC).

Vijay Subramaniam, regional president of AMEA and Global Travel Retail has given the additional responsibility of Australia and New Zealand region, formerly under the EUROC region.

Debeuckelaere will retire from his role at the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2023, and then will move to a consulting capacity to support the transition and provide expertise on company initiatives.

From his first role in 1994 as a local marketing director, to managing the commercial side of market clusters, to ultimately becoming a regional president, Debeuckelaere’s is true story of rising the ranks at Bacardi.

“It has been an honor to be a part of Bacardi and to build my spirits career here. This company is truly special, and I am glad to leave strong teams and brands behind,” he said. “I am proud of the work we have accomplished together and look forward to seeing Bacardi thrive for generations to come.”

Mahesh Madhavan, chief executive of Bacardi Limited,” said: “I want to give a heartfelt thank you to Francis for his many years of service. He is a true industry professional and a friend to many of us. His expertise and deep knowledge of the business and markets have played such an invaluable role in building our business and brands.”

Ignacio ‘Nacho’ del Valle, a 25+ year veteran of Bacardi and a sixth generation Bacardí family member, has been serving as regional president of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) for the last six years, transforming the regional business by delivering growth in key markets and leading the premiumisation of several categories.

“I look forward to this next chapter in my Bacardi journey and to continue driving brand love for our iconic portfolio,” said del Valle. “It’s a tremendous responsibility and privilege to build upon the Bacardi legacy of generations before us.”

Pete Carr, who moves into the previously announced role of Global Growth Officer on April 1, will add leadership of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) to his responsibilities. In addition to the region, Carr will lead global digital commerce, on-trade and route-to-market efforts.