Camus appoints global brand manager

Cognac producer Camus has named Pier Paolo Catucci as its new global brand manager, as the company pursues further global growth.

Prior to Camus, Catucci was senior marketing officer for Velier SpA, where he led the strategy and development of a large portfolio of global brands that included Hendrick’s, The Macallan, Fever-Tree, Glenfiddich, Sailor Jerry, Monkey Shoulder, Stolichnaya, Brugal and Nikka.

“Pier Paolo brings a strong background and understanding of the drink industry combined with a strong expertise as a brand builder in the premium spirits business,” said House of Camus chief marketing officer, Jean-Dominique Andreu. “His experience and vision will be valuable for Camus in the development of its own brand.”

Andreu himself joined Camus in January as the company’s chief marketing officer from Stoli Group, where he was European managing director.

Earlier this month, South Africa’s Distell announced a partnership with Camus Cognac subsidiary Yuanliu International Trade, which saw the latter become the exclusive distributor of its Scottish Leader, Ledaig and Deanston Scotch whisky brands in China.

Partnering with Distell’s Asia Pacific marketing team, Camus Yuanliu will be tasked with distributing and developing “relevant” marketing initiatives for each brand from July. Last summer, Camus moved into Irish whiskey with the launch of Lambay Irish Whiskey. 

Cognac exports continued to grow in 2017 for a third consecutive year, reaching their highest ever levels in both volume and value, despite the April 2017 frosts, which according to the Bureau National Interprofessional du Cognac (BNIC) affected production less than expected.

In total, around 197.4 million bottles of Cognac were exported in 2017 – almost 98% of its total production – resulting in a turnover of €3.15 billion. This represented growth of more than 10% in volume and 14% by value, according to statistics released this morning by the BNIC.