Former Bacardi-Martini Australia Managing Director Mauricio Vergara has been named Managing Director of Proximo US & Canada.
The announcement follows current MD Luis Fernando Félix Fernández announcing his retirement, effective as of July 1.
Proximo owns more than a dozen spirits brands, including Jose Cuervo, 1800 Tequila, Kraken Spiced Rum and Boodles British Gin.
Vergara was appointed MD of Bacardi-Martini Australia in April 2019, then became PATRÓN President and Chief Operating Officer in late 2020.
Vergara previously lead the international integration of PATRÓN following the acquisition of Patrón Spirits International and its PATRÓN brand by Bacardi in 2018.
Vergara had been with family-owned Bacardi in 2013, in a career that spanned the globe from Mexico City to Miami to London to Sydney and Bermuda. His roles included leading BACARDÍ and GREY GOOSE globally, managing commercial businesses in Latin America and in the US, and heading up global commercial and customer marketing teams.
Proximo said: “Mr Vergara’s extensive experience in the industry, honed through notable positions at Bacardi, Brown-Forman,
SABMiller, FEMSA Beer and The Coca-Cola Company, positions him as a strategic leader poised to drive growth and innovation in our largest market.
“Mr Vergara has spearheaded some of the world’s most profitable, iconic, and legacy brands, driven global expansion
strategies, and launched innovations across major markets such as the US, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and EMEA, while navigating complex industry, economic and supply chain challenges.”
As part of a planned succession process, Vergara will work alongside Félix to ensure a smooth leadership transition in the US and Canada.