Naked Wines has named Rodrigo Maza as its new managing director for the UK business, effective immediately.
Maza succeeds James Crawford, who will return to his role as the group’s chief financial officer.
Maza brings with him almost 20 years of experience and joins from drinks company Grupo Modelo and AB InBev where he developed and launched digital, consumer-facing ventures in seven Latin American countries.
He was then promoted to managing director of the group’s PerfectDraft operation in Continental Europe.
In his new position, Maza will be responsible for strengthening the retailer’s online experience, as well as growing brand awareness and digital-first initiatives.
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Naked’s global chief executive Nick Devlin said: “Maza’s extensive strategic experience, relentless customer focus and track record of driving innovation in the beverage space make him a natural leader for our key UK business.
“I’m delighted to welcome Maza to Naked and excited about supporting him as we pursue our mission to get more UK consumers drinking independent.”
Commenting on his appointment, Maza added: “Naked is a trailblazing business that sets a great example with its authentic purpose.
“The enthusiasm and unwavering support I have seen for our Angles (members) and winemakers is contagious, and I am excited to lead the UK team into its next phase of development.
“Together, we will continue to enhance our online offerings and ensure that Naked Wines remains synonymous with great wine, innovation, and exceptional customer experiences.”
Maza’s appointment comes as the retailer revealed it had swung to a loss of £15m in 2023 after “high inflation, higher taxes on alcohol and falling disposable incomes” had put pressure on sales and costs.
Founder and chairman Rowan Gormley, who returned in July to help turnaround the business, said the above factors had “resulted in our reporting a material uncertainty around our going concern”.
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