Directorate Change

RNS Number : 5873T

Gusbourne PLC

21 March 2023

 

Gusbourne Plc

("Gusbourne" or the "Company")

Directorate Change

New Board appointment and Board restructure

Gusbourne Plc (AIM: GUS), the premium English sparkling wine producer, today announces the following Board changes, with immediate effect, to support the Company's ongoing growth and execution of its strategy.

Katharine Berry, who was appointed as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") in August 2022, has been formally appointed to the Company's board of directors ("Board").

Gusbourne's founder, Andrew Weeber, is retiring and stepping down as a Non-Executive Director. Andrew was responsible for planting the first vines at Gusbourne after purchasing the estate in 2003. Upon admission to AIM in 2013, he served as Non-Executive Chairman until 2020 and has remained a valued Board member ever since.

Paul Bentham is also retiring as a Non-Executive Director but remains a significant shareholder and expects to continue to support the business for the longer term. Paul joined the Board in 2013 and has played an important role in supporting Gusbourne's growth during his tenure.

Finally, Guardian of the Vines, Jon Pollard, is stepping down from the Board but will continue in his executive role as Chief Operating Officer (COO), as the business enters its next stage of expansion with significant new vineyard plantings planned in 2024.

Jim Ormonde, Gusbourne's Chairman, commented:

"Today's announcement is reflective of the depth and quality we now have within our executive leadership team. Gusbourne has achieved a lot under the support and guidance of the Board and with strong foundations in place, now is the right time to operate with a smaller, more focused Board.

"Andrew and Paul will continue to champion Gusbourne as valued ambassadors and we are enormously grateful to both of them for the time and knowledge they've given during their respective tenures. As COO, Jon remains central to our business operations and will focus on his responsibilities as Guardian of the Vines as we enter a period of significant expansion and associated new vine plantings over coming years.

"We are also delighted to welcome Kathy to the Board as CFO and look forward to her contribution as the Company continues to execute its long-term ambitious business plan, cementing its position as one of the UK's most significant fine wine producers at the top of the dynamic English wine sector."

Schedule 2(g) disclosures

Katharine Denise Berry (aged 46), whose previous surname is Clark, currently holds no other directorships nor has held any other directorships in the previous 5 years. Mrs Berry does not own any shares in the Company and has confirmed there is no further information to be disclosed pursuant to paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules.

For further information contact:

Enquiries:

Gusbourne Plc
Charlie Holland	[phone]
Phil Clark, Investor Relations
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited (Nomad and Sole Broker)
James Sinclair-Ford / Lauren Riley	+ 44 (0)20 7886 2500
Hugh Rich
Media
Kate Hoare / Ben Robinson / India Spencer (Houston) [e-mail]	[phone]

Note: This and other press releases are available at the Company's website:  www.gusbourneplc.com

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as amended by regulation 11 of the Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310. With the publication of this announcement, this information is now considered to be in the public domain. 

Note to Editors

Gusbourne produces and distributes a range of high quality and award winning vintage English sparkling wines from grapes grown in its own vineyards in Kent and West Sussex.

The Gusbourne business was founded by Andrew Weeber in 2004 with the first vineyard plantings at Appledore in Kent. The first wines were released in 2010 to critical acclaim. Following additional vineyard plantings in 2013 and 2015 in both Kent and West Sussex, Gusbourne now has 93 hectares of mature vineyards. The NEST visitor centre was opened next to the winery in Appledore in 2017, providing tours, tastings and a direct outlet for our wines.

Right from the beginning, Gusbourne's intention has always been to produce the finest English sparkling wines. Starting with carefully chosen sites, we use best practice in establishing and maintaining the vineyards and conduct green harvests to ensure we achieve the highest quality grapes for each vintage. A quest for excellence is at the heart of everything we do. We blind taste hundreds of samples before finalising our blends and even after the wines are bottled, they spend extended time on their lees to add depth and flavour. Once disgorged, extra cork ageing further enhances complexity. Our winemaking process remains traditional, but one that is open to innovation where appropriate. It takes four years to bring a vineyard into full production and a further four years to transform those grapes into Gusbourne's premium sparkling wine.

Gusbourne's luxury brand enjoys premium price positioning and is distributed in the finest establishments both in the UK and abroad. Our wines can be found in leading luxury retailers, restaurants, hotels and stockists, always being aware that where we are says a lot about who we are.

 

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