Simon Hunt, an experienced figure in the spirits industry, has been appointed as the new chief executive of Campari Group, succeeding interim co-CEOs Paolo Marchesini and Fabio Di Fede.
Having accumulated over 30 years in the premium and luxury spirits sector, Simon Hunt assumes leadership at Campari Group at a pivotal moment of growth. His tenure in the industry includes 14 influential years at William Grant & Sons, where he rose through the ranks from President and Managing Director of North America to ultimately serving as CEO until 2020.
Simon Hunt’s career also includes significant roles at major drinks corporations. At Diageo, he held various strategic positions in marketing and sales, notably as Vice President of Smirnoff Global Marketing. Furthermore, his leadership extended to Pernod Ricard, where he took on the role of CEO and President of Malibu-Kahlua International.
More recently, Hunt served as a strategic advisor to CEOs of premium spirits firms and led strategic initiatives as the CEO of Catalyst Spirits in 2022, focusing on innovation within digitally inexperienced premium spirits brands.
Luca Garavoglia, Chairman of Campari Group, expressed confidence in Hunt’s ability to lead the company, emphasising his proven track record in developing premium and luxury brands internationally. Garavoglia stated, “We are delighted to welcome Simon as the new chief executive officer of Campari Group. His proven and extensive industry experience and leadership in building and scaling premium and luxury brands on a global scale will be instrumental as he leads Campari Group through its next phase of growth.”
Simon Hunt, reflecting on his new role, remarked, “During my more than three decades of experience within the spirits industry, I have always held Campari Group in the highest regard for its unique history, strong portfolio of iconic brands, company culture, and continuous outperformance and stellar growth story. I am honoured and excited to take on this extraordinary opportunity and I look forward to working with Campari Group’s talented leadership team and organization to continue to build on the company’s heritage and success built over the past decades, and to take Campari Group’s potential and growth ambition to its next level.”
Simon Hunt’s appointment marks a significant chapter for Campari Group as it seeks to navigate its growth trajectory under his seasoned guidance.
