Accolade Wines CEO Robert Foye has revealed his next move after his surprise resignation from the company earlier this month.

“After four and a half years leading Accolade Wines I am looking forward to transitioning out of the company,” Foye said. 

“I will still be an advisor to the Board through February, 2025. Accolade Wines is an amazing company and has an incredible team.  It has a very bright future as it merges with Pernod Ricard’s wine business, which also has some amazing brands and people.   

“It is the perfect time for this transition for me to spend more time with the family in the States.   

“I wish the teams at Accolade Wines and Pernod Ricard Wines the best of luck, and I am sure the future will be very bright. 

“I will still be around and available, but I wanted to personally thank the entire team at Accolade Wines for all the hard work and passion you have brought to the wine business over the past four and half years.  I could not have asked for a better team.   

“It has been my pleasure and a complete privilege to lead this company. Thank you.”   

Foye’s resignation followed Australian Wine Holdco Limited (AWL) combining Accolade Wines with Pernod Ricard’s Australian, New Zealand and Spanish wine businesses last month.

AWL is a consortium of international institutional investors that comprises funds backed by Bain Capital Special Situations, ICG, Capital Four, Sona Asset Management and Samuel Terry Asset Management.

The group said: “With the Pernod Ricard Wines merger announced, Robert has decided that now is an appropriate time to focus on the next stage of his career and to relocate permanently back to Texas to spend more time with his family.”

Accolade Chairman Ben Clarke will assume the role of executive chairman from September 2, with the Accolade board saying he “will lead the business through the next phase of its evolution”.

Clarke is a former Kraft Foods executive and became chairman of Accolade in April. Accolade is expected to appoint a new permanent CEO when Pernod Ricard’s wine assets join the business.

Foye was appointed CEO of Accolade Wines in 2020, replacing Matthew Stanton. He previously spent four years as COO of Treasury Wine Estates and more than 22 years with The Coca Cola Company.