Alcohol beverage giant Constellation Brands has appointed a new executive vice president and president of its Wine & Spirits Division. Effective today, Sam Glaetzer has taken over the role from Robert Hanson, who stepped down at then end of the company’s fiscal year on Feb. 29. In addition to his new responsibilities leading the company’s Wine & Spirits Division, Glaetzer will also serve as a member of Constellation’s executive management committee.
“Sam is a well-rounded senior leader with a wealth of experience in wine and spirits and a successful track record of driving commercial and operational efficiency and effectiveness,” says Bill Newlands, Constellation’s president and CEO, who has also been leading the Wine & Spirits Division since Hanson’s departure. “Now that our strategic wine and spirits brand portfolio transformation is largely complete, and as we turn our focus more squarely towards strong commercial and operational execution for this business, Sam is uniquely equipped to lead our Wine & Spirits Division at this pivotal time as we look to deliver growth and improved profitability.”
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Glaetzer joined Constellation Brands in 2014 as managing director of the company’s New Zealand and Australian operations. He brings nearly three decades of wine and spirits industry expertise to the new role. Since joining Constellation, he has served in a range of leadership capacities in areas such as general management, international commercial sales, supply chain operations, product quality, new product development, acquisition integrations, and divestitures. Most recently, Glaetzer served in the role of senior vice president of global operations and international sales.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to lead our Wine & Spirits team as we look to more fully capitalize on our portfolio transformation and accelerate the overall performance of this business going forward,” Glaetzer says. “We have a solid strategy and foundation for growth in place, and one of the most talented teams in the industry.”
In December, Constellation Brands announced a considerable shakeup of its leadership, with several leaders in the Beer Division—from marketing to supply chain—expanding their responsibilities. Other leadership changes took place across the corporation, including innovation, digital marketing, strategy, and finance.
Constellation Brands announced Hanson’s departure at the beginning of 2024, noting that he and the company mutually agreed that he would step down.
Under Hanson’s leadership since mid-2019, the Wine & Spirits Division significantly reshaped its brand portfolio through a series of divestitures of lower-end brands, several tuck-in acquisitions of higher-end fine wine and craft spirits brands, consumer-led innovation, and by establishing a strong operational foundation for long-term success and more profitable growth.
