BBR appoints new buying director

Berry Bros. and Rudd has appointed Direct Wines’ head of wine as its new buying director.

Abi Hirshfeld will join the team in January, where she will oversee buying and supply management across the group, including its subsidiary Field, Morris & Verdin – although Fine Wine buying will continue under the auspices of Max Lalondrelle. Hirshfeld will work with Mark Pardoe MW, who will continue in his current role as Wine Director.

Hirshfeld joined Direct Wines in February 2008 where she was initially responsible for the international consumer wine as development manager, before being promoted to head of wine UK. For the past five years, she has managed the wine buying for all of the company’s businesses including the UK, US, Asia Pacific and Wholesale. Prior to joining the online wine specialist, she spend two years as a wine buyer at Sainsbury’s.

Berry Bros. & Rudd Chief Executive Dan Jago said Hirshfeld would brings a wealth of buying experience from her 17 years in the trade.

“Berry Bros. & Rudd has a highly experienced team of buyers and under Abi’s direction we look forward to being able to develop and grow the industry-leading wine range with which we provide our customers,” he said.

This year has seen a number of changes and appointments at the London fine wine merchant.

In August it announced the appointment of Nick Morton in the new role of director of private clients, after wine writer Will Lyons joined the team in mid-April as a senior fine wine executive  in the newly created division for the merchant’s top clients.

In July, Kevin Hanley, former Laithwaite’s Group operations director took on the role of operations, logistics and IT director, while COO Jeremy Parsons also stepped down from his role this year, with Natalie Tennent taking on his International Wine and Spirits responsibilities.

Chief Financial Officer Chris Robinson joined the company in January from Tesco, where he was group finance planning director, shortly after the appointment last year of former Tesco BWS boss Dan Jago as BBR’s new CEO.

Yesterday Fine wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd announced it was bringing back its consumer magazine ‘No. 3’ after a 22-year hiatus.