EMILIO PEDRON, CEO OF THE ITALIAN WINES GROUP (GIV) STEPS DOWN. GIV: REVENUE INCREASED TOPPING 300 MILLION EUROS IN 2009. PEDRON: “ I STEP DOWN FROM A GROUP THAT HAS BECOME THE MAIN PLAYER IN THE ITALIAN WINE WORLD”

As published yesterday by WineNews, Emilio Pedron, CEO of the Italian Wines Group (GIV), announced in a statement he “decided to leave the assignments and operating powers he held in the group, but will remain on the board of directors in support to the owners on choices and strategies”. Pedron also specified “the transaction represents the completion of a route agreed upon with the new ownership, now represented by Cantine Riunite & Civ (United Wine Cellars and Coop of Italian Wines)”.

Emilio Pedron is stepping down from the management “of a group that, under his leadership, has become by far the largest player in the Italian wine world, anticipating modern and advanced distribution models, assuming a leading role in the production of quality wines and in the enhancement of market territories, wineries and products. It will suffice to recall the acquisition of the U.S. group Brown-Forman Wine of the Bull, in late 2008, one of the most popular “Made in Italy” brands in the world”.

The Italian Wine Group, even though it was a difficult year, due to the general economic situation and the drop in consumer sales, ended 2009 with a sales increase that topped 300 million euros, thanks also to the inclusion of the Gruppo Coltiva (Italian Wine Producing Group). In 2010, the Italian Wine Group therefore “will be strong on the market and with further major development plans in Italy and on foreign markets”.