Cierto Tequila appoints new CEO

Elevated Spirits has named former Diageo executive Ami-Lynn Bakshi as the new CEO of Cierto Tequila.

Bakshi brings 28 years of experience to the company, 21 of which were spent at Johnnie Walker owner Diageo.

Bakshi will be tasked with leading the expansion of Cierto, which claims to be the most-awarded Tequila brand with 762 medals awarded to date.

“In all my years in the business, I’ve never tasted a product as exceptional and as universally praised as Cierto,” Bakshi said.

“Additive-free and handcrafted in an authentic manner that respects the natural beauty of the agave plant, Cierto is a pure, natural, luxury Tequila.

“I can’t wait to leverage my experience, relationships and passion for brand-building to drive continued growth and success of Cierto in the years ahead.”

Cierto Tequila has several different bottlings in its portfolio, including blanco, reposado, añejo and extra añejo.

The brand has a number of experienced drinks industry professionals on its roster, including: Jim Ruane, chief growth officer, a former Diageo vice-president; Laurence Wolfe, chief operating officer, formerly head of supply chain at Pernod Ricard Americas; Neal Simons, chief financial officer; Tony Spinelli, head of sales; Richard Booth, head of distribution; and Ken Ruff, head of strategic accounts, on-premise, who worked at Beam Suntory for 35 years.

Todd Chafee, chairman and co-founder of Elevated Spirits, added: “With the appointment of Ami-Lynn and the rest of the senior leadership team, we have assembled a remarkably talented group of seasoned experts to drive the growth of Cierto in the years ahead.”

In other Tequila-related news, at the beginning of August Tennessee-based Ole Smoky Distillery entered the Tequila category after agreeing to a merger with Tanteo Spirits.