After 18 years with the company, Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Campari Group, has decided to retire so that he can pursue his personal passions. Matteo Fantacchiotti, Managing Director Asia Pacific, has been appointed Deputy CEO to ensure a smooth handover and he will succeed Bob Kunze-Concewitz as CEO in April 2024.
Bob has spent the last 16 years as CEO of the company, and during that time the company has tripled its net sales and profitability. He did this by both organic and external growth, overseeing 27 acquisitions since 2007, for an overall investment of €3.0 billion.
Having built a strong leadership team, together they established a highly successful brand building strategy with strong focus on global high margin priority brands and core regional ones.
Thanks to this long-term vision, they successfully developed core aperitifs brands such as Aperol, which increased net sales 12 times since 2007, becoming the largest Group’s brand; among the other initiatives, the Campari brand has been relaunched and it’s recognised today among the most appreciated and consumed spirits in the world, with its proprietary Negroni cocktail.
In the highly attractive premium tequila category, Espolòn has become one of the leading and fastest growing premium tequila brands in the US. Moreover, under Bob’s leadership, the Group’s international footprint expanded from 6 to 25 in-market direct companies in the last 16 years, accounting for approx. 93% sales, and from 9 to 23 production facilities across the world.
Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO said, ‘Leading Campari Group has been an incredible honour, the most exciting professional journey in my career. We have achieved impressive results, which I am extremely proud of, but none of them would have been possible without the extraordinary contribution, passion and commitment of every single Camparista around the world.
“I am grateful for the trust and support that I have been always receiving from the management team and the Board of Directors, in particular our Chairman. We have been working closely with our Chairman and the Board of Directors to carefully prepare for this moment, as per the company’s corporate governance, enabling an orderly and smooth transition.
“I have said many times that this company is made of brands and people: we now have a portfolio made of some of the most admired brands in the spirits industry, taken care of by an amazing group of professionals worldwide.
“The very strong health of our brands and our robust organization now allow me to retire to pursue my personal passions and enjoy family life to the fullest.
“I am very happy to pass the baton to Matteo, a top manager whom I personally recruited and who already contributed significantly to Campari, thanks to his leadership capabilities and deep expertise of the spirits industry, particularly in the super premium end.
“I am sure that Matteo, a true Camparista capable of passionately leading great extended teams and achieving strong results, will continue building our company, consistently with our long-term vision and bringing Campari to the next level of its accelerated growth pattern.’.
After retiring, Bob is expected to become non-executive director of the Company.
The newly appointed Deputy CEO Matteo Fantacchiotti said, “I feel honoured and proud about the appointment. Bob leaves Campari Group in a phenomenal position. The impressive achievements of the Group under Bob’s visionary leadership are an inspiration for me to continue on this journey, building on our proven growth strategy, in continuity with the past, combining a strong brand building with value enhancing acquisitions.
“Campari Group is today a very strong organization, built on world class infrastructure, powerful brands and talented Camparistas. I look forward to continuing working with Campari Group’s management team which I will have the privilege to lead and with whom we will take our company to the next phase of its transformational growth journey.”
Luca Garavoglia, Group Chairman since 1994 and representative of controlling shareholders through Lagfin S.C.A., Société en Commandite par Actions added, “On behalf of the Board of Directors and personally, I would like to thank Bob for the amazing work done at Campari Group: during his tenure, Bob led our Company to achieve incredible results, making Campari Group a jewel of the spirits industry.
“His great passion and dedication were also instrumental to create a global team of uniquely talented Camparistas, and he leaves Campari Group in a perfect position to unlock future growth opportunities.
“In this long-planned transition, together with the Board I am now pleased to see the baton pass to Matteo, a leader with great experience in the spirits industry, who will be able to continue the path that Campari Group has had so far, in continuity with our proven growth strategy.’.