Napa, CA ─John Grant has been appointed Chief Operating Officer for The Hess Collection winery, overseeing sales, marketing and business operations from the winery’s Mount Veeder home. He will work closely with Timothy Persson, The Hess Collection Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
“John brings an added dimension of experience to our team that will help us accelerate our momentum as one of the leading family-owned fine wine companies, taking full advantage of the major strides we’ve made across all aspects of our business over the past few years,” said Persson, part of the fifth generation of Hess family leadership of the Hess Group.
Persson has directed a series of major quality and capability investments, including the replanting of key vineyard blocks across the family’s prime Mount Veeder and Napa Valley vineyards and a streamlined portfolio strategy alongside improved sales and marketing capabilities. The appointment of Grant continues that strengthening.
Grant was most recently the Managing Director for Treasury Wine Estates Beringer portfolio, after serving in senior global marketing and sales roles at TWE. A native Australian, Grant was President of Constellation Wine Australia, and also served as Executive Vice President of Marketing for Kendall Jackson Wine Estates, where he was later appointed President, overseeing core wine brands and leading both acquisitions and the revitalization of several wineries, focusing on “affordable luxury”. Sales at key business units tripled during his tenure.
“This is an exceptional opportunity which reinforces my view that the increasing pace and focus of the wine industry is better suited for nimble, privately held organizations,” said Grant. “The next generation of dedicated Hess family leadership is making a powerful investment in moving one of Napa’s iconic, historic and much admired wineries into the spotlight once again.”
Grant began his career with Foster’s Brewing and Toohey’s/Lion Nathan. He attended Harvard Business School in the Program For Management Development, and holds a BS degree from Monash University in Melbourne. He has served as a board member of the Wine Institute and Wine Australia, and has twice been named Australian Marketer of The Year.
