John Esposito
Since May 2006, John Esposito has held the position of president and chief executive officer of Bacardi U.S.A, Inc. and the North American Region where he has been lauded for revitalizing the company’s image.
An accomplished businessman with three decades of experience in every facet of the industry, John Esposito was honored by Market Watch on Sept. 24, 2009, along with others in the drink retail industry, as Industry Executive of the Year for his work with Bacardi.
Esposito grew up with the business in his blood. His family owned liquor stores in New York City, which he helped manage after college.
He started out as a supplier with The Seagram Co. Ltd in 1977. There, a theme that would become consistent in his career, he held a number of key positions, later becoming vice president and national sales manager.
Twelve years later in 1989, Esposito went to W.A. Taylor and Co. as vice president and director of sales. It was from there that he transitioned into the wholesale side of the industry as president of Premier Beverage Co.
His career took him further on to join the supplier tier in 1992 at Schieffelin and Somerset as senior vice president of national sales. According to Market Watch, seven years later he was named president and chief executive officer of the company until it was dissolved in 2004. In 2005 he was named president and chief executive officer of Moet-Hennessy USA.
During his time at these companies, Esposito helped brand such drinks as Hennessy, Grand Marnier and Veuve Clicquot. According to Market Watch, between the years of 1995 and 2005, the cognac Hennessy saw the most growth, nearly tripling from 745,000 cases to 2.1 million cases sold.
After these accomplishments, Esposito took the position of president and chief executive officer of Bacardi USA.
One of his biggest challenges was to drive and diversity the reputation of its products, such as newly acquired Grey Goose vokda. It is said that Bacardi’s innovation has increased under Esposito, such as the introduction of Bacardi Classic Mojito RTD in 2008, which became one of that year’s top products.
The Bacardi name is no longer synonymous with rum. Under the leadership of Esposito, the company now has its hand in a more balanced portfolio that includes vodka, tequila, scotch and other products.
Recent and upcoming endeavors include a stake in Patron Tequila and Leblon cachaca. In 2006 Bacardi also took over 42 below, a New Zealand flavored vodka distillery.
Esposito continues to make accomplishments in his still short career with Bacardi. In August 2009, Bacardi USA and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County announced a license agreement that will bring the Bombay Saphire gin brand to downtown Miami in a new Bombay Saphire-branded lounge.
The new lounge will be located on the ground floor of the center’s landmark art deco Carnival Arts Tower. It’s scheduled to open in early 2010 and is a major component of a three-year, $300,000 contribution to the Adrienne Arsht Center by Bacardi USA.