The Drinks Trust has appointed Guy Lawrence, Brockmans Gin chief executive, as its new chair of the trustees.
Lawrence replaces Troy Christensen, chief executive of specialist wine supplier Enotria Wine Cellars, as the chair. Christensen will continue as a trustee of the charity.
Lawrence, a former Bacardi brand chief, has been the chief executive of Mast-Jaegermeister UK Ltd, before joining Brockman’s Gin, an independent English gin company.
Prior to joining Mast-Jaegermeister, he worked at Russian Standard Vodka as European managing director with responsibility for business leadership through the region including the UK. He has held a number of senior management roles within and outside the drinks industry.
Lawrence, who has been a trustee at the Drinks Trust since 2016, will serve a two-year term, taking over the reins at the Vintners’ Company Annual Lunch in aid of The Drinks Trust, held at Vintners’ Hall on 13 January.
“The Drinks Trust provides an important part of the solution to assist in tackling the skills and staff shortage, the financial needs and the wellbeing of the industry staff, and in turn, the well-being of industry businesses like your own. But with greater levels of support, comes a greater need for funding,” he said at the event.
“So in 2023, fundraising is our charity’s highest priority; we need you to invest in this charity you asked us to create. Most industry businesses do, but some do not, and I would call on those who don’t presently, to join us in our work and invest in the industry in doing so.”
