SINGAPORE, 10 April 2019 Six months after re-branding Neat Spirits Australia as Proof & Company, the independent spirits company has made two leadership appointments to capitalise on the extraordinary growth it is experiencing in its Australian and Asia Pacific markets.
Starting 1 April, Paul Broadbent has been appointed as the group’s new General Manager, Australia & New Zealand. Since joining Proof & Company from Bacardi Australia in early 2018, Paul has helped to lead Proof Australia through a period of rapid growth, with distribution volumes expanding more than 250% in the past 18 months. National retail and travel retail channel partners helped drive much of this growth, with Australian consumers continuing to embrace independent spirits for entertaining at home in ever greater numbers. Star performers in Proof Australia’s spirits portfolio have included Citadelle Gin, Plantation Pineapple Rum, Lark Whiskies, Forty Spotted Gin and the newly crowned “World’s Best Classic Gin” by Adelaide’s own Never Never Distilling Company. This expanded distribution footprint has been complemented by the launch of Proof & Company’s creative services and JERRY online beverage learning platform in late 2018.
“There is an exciting energy across the Proof & Company markets right now, much of it coming from our great brand and channel partners. We have momentum on our side, and I am looking forward to leading the charge for independent spirits in the highly competitive Australian and New Zealand marketplaces,” notes Broadbent.
As part of these investments in Proof Australia, Dan Walker, formerly General Manager, Australia & New Zealand, will relocate to Singapore with his young family and take on the newly-created role of Chief Operating Officer for all Asia Pacific markets. In this senior operations role, he will oversee brand partnerships, procurement, warehousing and local fulfilment operations in all eight Proof & Company markets.
“The growth we are experiencing across our portfolio requires continued investments in people, technology and facilities. With this new role, I will be able to focus on delivering the best possible service to our brand partners and channel clients, notes Walker, “Brand building and radical customer focus remain cornerstones of the Proof & Company mission. I am delighted to be appointed as the guardian of our continued commitment to these core principles.”