La Martiniquaise-Bardinet (LMB) is an independent, family-owned international spirits group, operating across more than 100 countries with a broad portfolio of global drinks brands.
Its UK business, LMB UK, represents a portfolio including Glen Moray, Cutty Sark, Bardinet Brandy, Sobieski Vodka, Marie Brizard and Lejay, alongside Saint James and Depaz Rhum. Following its partnership with Warner’s Distillery in 2025, the business was investing in its UK growth strategy and strengthening its commercial capability.
The Brief
Allexo were engaged using our Engage solution to appoint a National Account Controller – On-Trade, a key commercial leadership hire responsible for accelerating LMB UK’s growth across National Managed On-Trade and Pub Groups.
The role combined strategic channel leadership with hands-on customer management. The successful candidate would be responsible for developing and executing the On-Trade strategy, growing existing customer relationships, winning new business and expanding distribution across the wider LMB portfolio.
Alongside direct customer responsibility, the role would lead an existing team of Key Account Managers across the South of the UK, with ambitions to grow the team further as the channel developed.
The successful candidate therefore needed extensive drinks industry experience, an established network across National Managed On-Trade and Pub Groups, and a proven track record of delivering sales growth and winning new business.
Equally important was the ability to operate at both a strategic and operational level, combining strong commercial and negotiation skills with the people leadership capability required to build and develop a growing team.
The Process & Results
Following a detailed briefing with LMB UK’s Commercial & Marketing Director, Allexo conducted a targeted search, leveraging our specialist drinks network alongside proactive headhunting and market mapping to identify senior commercial professionals with the right combination of On-Trade expertise, customer relationships and leadership capability.
We engaged candidates with proven experience in:
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Leading relationships across National Managed On-Trade and Pub Groups
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Growing sales, distribution and brand presence within the On-Trade
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Winning new business and leading complex commercial negotiations
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Developing channel strategy and taking ownership of customer P&Ls
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Building strong senior-level customer networks
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Leading and developing high-performing commercial teams
Given the breadth of the position, the search focused on individuals who could balance strategic leadership with a hands-on approach to customer management – capable of shaping the National On-Trade strategy while personally driving opportunities with key customers.
Allexo successfully completed the search and appointed an accomplished senior drinks professional with extensive National On-Trade experience, providing LMB UK with the commercial leadership required to develop key customer partnerships, grow the team and accelerate its ambitions across the channel.
