Brown-Forman Announces Leadership Team Changes

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BFA) (NYSE:BFB) announced today changes to its executive leadership team designed to continue the company’s successful brand-building and growth strategies through disciplined succession planning and promoting the next generation of leaders.

“We have a deep bench of experienced and talented leaders and look forward to bringing new voices to our executive leadership team,” said Lawson Whiting, President and CEO, Brown-Forman. “Brown-Forman is well positioned for success with a strong portfolio, demonstrated agility and innovation, and leaders who live our values and put our ambition of ‘Nothing Better in the Market’ into practice.”

Tim Nall is Senior Vice President and Chief Global Supply Chain and Technology Officer. In this role, Nall is responsible for global production operations, global supply chain, research and development, quality assurance, external manufacturing, and all facets of our information technology infrastructure to include advanced analytics, applications, and cybersecurity. Nall has served as Chief Information Officer since 2015. He joined Brown-Forman in 2000 in bottling and production operations.

Crystal Peterson will be named Senior Vice President* and Chief Inclusion and Global Community Relations Officer effective June 15. In this role, Peterson will be responsible for stewarding the company’s progress and performance against its diversity and inclusion ambitions and realizing the full value diversity creates for Brown-Forman’s employees, partners, and communities. She will also lead the company’s commitment to enriching its communities, especially its hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Peterson joined Brown-Forman in human resources in 2012 and most recently served as a Vice President, Human Resources, supporting more than 2,600 employees in 23 countries.

Jeremy Shepherd will be named Senior Vice President* and become President, USA & Canada effective July 15. In this role, Shepherd will lead the commercial organization in its largest and most valuable market and deliver upon the company’s strategic ambitions, including continuing to grow our premium tequila and whiskey brands, and to significantly accelerate the growth of our premium-plus brands. Shepherd, a 17-year veteran of Brown-Forman, previously served as Vice President, General Manager, for the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Alex Alvarez has assumed responsibility for a newly created position of Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer and Director of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). In this new senior leadership role reporting to the CEO, Alvarez is responsible for developing and implementing an integrated ESG strategy that ensures Brown-Forman’s growth ambitions are environmentally and socially sustainable. In addition, he assumes responsibility for stewarding the company’s global alcohol responsibility efforts. Alvarez previously served as the Chief Production and Sustainability Officer.

Brown-Forman also announced two executive retirements, Ralph de Chabert, Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Citizenship Officer, effective July 1, and John Hayes, Senior Vice President and President, USA and Canada, effective August 17.

“We are grateful for the many valuable years Ralph and John shared with us at Brown-Forman. Ralph joined the company in 2007 as our first Chief Diversity Officer, and made immediate and impactful contributions to Brown-Forman,” said Whiting. “With his leadership, we have strengthened our culture of diversity and inclusion, published our ten-year global diversity and inclusion strategy for race and gender, and set quantifiable ambitions for 2030 representation of women and people of color. We thank Ralph for his leadership in helping us to be better and do better.”

Whiting added, “In John’s 35 years with Brown-Forman, he led our largest brand, guided our most valuable market, and oversaw our largest acquisition. John always focused his energy on building the brands and people of Brown-Forman, and he had a positive and lasting effect on each brand, project, partner, and person he encountered. We thank John for his commitment and dedication.”

For over 150 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee RTDs, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Apple, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Coopers’ Craft, GlenDronach, Benriach, Glenglassaugh, Slane, Herradura, el Jimador, New Mix, Korbel, Sonoma-Cutrer, Finlandia, Chambord, and Fords Gin. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by approximately 4,700 employees and sold in more than 170 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.brown-forman.com/.

* pending approval by Board of Directors