People Moves: Molson Coors Promotes Sales Execs; Eight Beer Names Experiential Marketing Director; A-B Hires Craft Communications Lead

Molson Coors Promotes Sales Execs

As Molson Coors sales chief Kevin Doyle prepares to retire after nearly 40 years, the company has promoted two sales executives as part of its succession planning.

Chief commercial solutions officer Jeff Long will be promoted to chief customer officer, a role that incoming U.S. president of sales and distributor operations Brian Fiero will vacate upon Doyle’s retirement at the end of the year.

Andrew McGuire will be promoted to chief commercial solutions offers. He is currently VP of the company’s Great Lakes region.

Both moves go into effect on January 1 and the company is looking to hire McGuire’s successor, according to Beer Marketer’s Insights, which broke the news.

Molson Coors Promotes Rachel Dickens to Sr. Director of Corporate Affairs

Molson Coors has named Rachel Dickens its new senior director of corporate affairs following Jennifer Martinez-Roth’s departure from the role.

Prior to helping lead corporate affairs, Dickens was on Molson Coors’ brand public relations team, where she oversaw “the development and execution of communications and campaigns to support our iconic beers and our hottest new brands,” chief communications and corporate affairs officer Adam Collins wrote.

Dickens joined the company nearly four years ago and reports to Collins in her new role, which includes corporate communications, digital communications, community affairs and guest relations.

Eight Beer Names Experiential Marketing Director

Eight Beer, the lager launched in Texas earlier this year by former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current Monday Night Football analyst Troy Aikman, has hired Sophia D’Angelo as its first director of experiential marketing.

D’Angelo is the founder of Boston Experiential Group and Austin Experiential Group, consulting firms that produce experiential marketing campaigns and events for brands, as well as corporate and private events. Prior to founding those firms, she was a senior project manager at advertising giant Hill Holliday and worked at the Boston Beer Company, where she managed brand promotions and events.

At Eight, D’Angelo will be responsible for all consumer interactions with the brand.

“From sponsorships to proprietary events to grassroots campaigns, I get the chance to introduce our beer to the drinker, face to face,” she told Brewbound. “I’m thrilled to be joining such a stellar team at such an exciting time for the company. The brand is only on its way up and I can’t wait to help Eight reach its full potential.”

Bev-Alc Attorney Adena Santiago Joins Foster Garvey, PC

Law firm Foster Garvey, PC has hired beverage-alcohol attorney Adena Santiago as of counsel, the company announced.

Santiago has “extensive experience as an alcohol beverage attorney counseling clients across the three tiers of the alcohol beverage industry – licensing, labeling and compliance,” Foster Garvey said in a press release. She joins the firm from McDermott, Will & Emery, where her practice included work in all 50 states.

At Foster Garvey, Santiago will join the commercial, IP and tech transactions practice. The client portfolio she brings includes “more than one thousand licenses for a single client, among many other successful representations of hotels, restaurants, distillers, brewers, wineries and distributors,” according to the release.

“Adena brings an exceptional combination of knowledge, experience and relationships to the table for our clients,” commercial, IP and tech transactions practice leader Emily Gant said in the release. “We are pleased to welcome Adena to our firm as we work alongside our clients to ensure they are well positioned to achieve their goals.”

A-B Taps Bridget O’Neill as Brewers Collective Communications Lead

Bridget O’Neill has been named director of corporate communications for the Brewers Collective at Anheuser-Busch InBev.

She is responsible for communications and media relations pertaining to the Brewers Collective, the 21 craft brands that A-B has amassed in recent years. The Brewers Collective includes national brands such as Goose Island, Elysian, Golden Road and Kona Brewing, as well as regional players such as 10 Barrel, Karbach and Devils Backbone.

Prior to joining A-B, O’Neill led communications for Tarte Cosmetics. She also held a variety of public relations roles at Elizabeth Arden, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Former Gopuff, Meta Exec Joins Provi

E-commerce beverage-alcohol platform Provi has named Andy Berman its SVP of strategic partnerships, the company announced last month.

Berman was previously head of Americas, audience network at Facebook and held an executive-level role at Gopuff before joining Provi.

At Provi, Berman “will help accelerate Provi’s mission of strengthening connections throughout the three-tier system with digital offerings for large, mid-size and emerging suppliers,” according to a press release.

“I am excited to apply my knowledge to the beverage alcohol industry and further support Provi’s mission of propelling the sector forward, through digital advancements,” Berman said in the release. “Online solutions, like Provi, have the ability to positively transform the overall growth and innovation of beer, wine, and spirit products. I’m thrilled to have a direct impact in how suppliers will develop and enhance their go-to-market strategies.”

With Berman’s hiring, Provi will promote Andrew Levy to SVP of strategy. Levy, a Constellation Brands alumnus, was previously SVP of strategic partnerships. Both will report to Provi founder and CEO Taylor Katzman.