Purity Vodka announced that it has recruited Andy Glaser from Moet Hennessy as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Glaser will be based in New York and has extensive experience in successful brand development in the U.S. market having led marketing for Heineken and most recently business operations at Hennessy Cognac. Glaser will be responsible for developing the Purity brand and increasing its distribution, initially in the United States, and is expected to take control over the brand’s global operations within 12 months.
Purity Vodka’s expansion has progressed rapidly over the past 18 months and is now available in more than 20 markets, including China, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Britain, Sweden, Georgia and Kazakhstan.
Purity is also available in New York, California, Nevada and Georgia where focus lies on developing sales and marketing in top class on-premise venues. In New York, Purity is sold at the Mandarin Oriental, The Peninsula, Le Cirque, Serafina, Benoit, and the SoHo Grand. It is also sold in venues worldwide such as The Ritz in London, The Dry Martini in Barcelona and the M1NT Club in Shanghai.
“We are delighted that Andy has chosen to join Purity Vodka at a very exciting time. It says a lot about its potential and our long term commitment to our brand,” said Goran Bernhoff, Chairman of Purity Vodka. “We are confident that Andy will be able to make Purity Vodka an important player in the small, but fast growing ultra premium vodka segment in the US, as well as in Europe and Asia.”
Glaser gained his Masters in Marketing froom the University of the West of England as served as an Officer in the Royal Marine Commandos. He was responsible at Heineken USA for leading the development and national launch of Heineken Premium Light in 2006, the company’s most successful brand-extension. Since 2008, he has worked for Moet Hennessy, overseeing US marketing and business for Hennessy Cognac.
“It is a great honor to now be entrusted to lead the world’s most awarded ultra premium vodka in the next critical phase of its growth. Having had the privilege to lead several of the world’s greatest brands, it is very stimulating to now develop Purity Vodka to realize its full potential in the vision of its creator Thomas Kuuttanen,” said Andy Glaser.
Andy Glaser will take over as Chief Executive Officer of US operations on June 1, 2011.
