Bancroft makes raft of new appointments

London-based wine distributor Bancroft Wines has hired a new head of purchasing, financial controller and made new additions to its on-trade and fine wine sales teams.

Bancroft Wines celebrates its 25th anniversary this year (Photo: Bancroft)

David Murphy, the company’s new head of purchasing, will oversee all aspects of wine buying and will work closely with the new financial controller Marcus O’Brien, who joins from the Gordon Ramsay Group, where he was finance manager for two years.

David has over 25 years of wine industry experience in purchasing and operational roles including seven years at Liberty and more recently at Wine Networks and The Antique Wine Company.

The London on-trade sales team has poached new sales people from Justerini & Brooks and Venus Wines and Spirits. Anne Cathelineau joins from J&B, where she spent four years.

David Piazzani, formerly of Venus Wines and Spirits, started out in the trade as a sommelier before moving onto Majestic, Mondial wines and Matthew Clark.

Recent additions to the company’s fine wine team include Alejandro Diaz-de-Cerio, who joins from Fine+Rare. He started out at Majestic before moving into private client sales at F+R where he worked for almost four years.

Neil McAndrew, managing director at Bancroft, said that the new appointments follow a “record-breaking year” and will help “position us to meet our targeted growth.”

Founded by the late Adam Bancroft MW, Bancroft Wines celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2015.