Amber Beverage welcomes Normunds Stanevics as CEO
Spirits brand owner Amber Beverage Group (ABG) has appointed Lavian-based Normunds Stanevics as its new CEO, following the departure of Jekaterina Stuģe in January last year.
The company, which is majority-owned by Stoli Group and headquartered in Latvia, had previously appointed the role on an interim basis to chief legal officer Arturs Evarts.
Stanevics joins from outside of the alcohol industry, but brings more than two decades of senior international leadership experience from across multiple industries.
From 2013 to 2022, he worked for ice cream manufacturer Food Union, holding the position of CEO from 2019, and prior to his appointment at ABG, Stanevics held the position of CEO at a university hospital in Riga, Latvia.
According to ABG, Stanevics’ extensive M&A experience encompasses orchestrating ‘complex’ international deals, and his leadership approach emphasises collaborative decision-making, data-driven strategies, transparent communication, and building high-performance teams.
The company said he will focus on accelerating the company’s growth through market expansion into new territories, strengthening the company’s premium brand portfolio, driving operational excellence initiatives and pursuing strategic partnerships and acquisitions”.
Stanevics said: “I’m excited to join Amber Beverage Group at this pivotal moment. The company has tremendous potential for growth and expansion. My immediate focus will be on delivering quick wins in the first 100 days, implementing a comprehensive transformation and growth plan and establishing a strong foundation for our long-term strategic vision over years to come.”
Stanevics emphasised his commitment to all ABG stakeholders: “To our employees, I bring a collaborative leadership style focused on developing talent and creating opportunities for growth. For our customers, we will continue delivering exceptional products while expanding our premium offerings. Our suppliers can expect strengthened partnerships based on mutual success, and our financial partners will see improved cash flows and enhanced operational metrics as we execute our strategic plan.”
In a statement released last week, Stoli Group said of the appointment: “We recognise that ABG faces significant challenges and operational complexities. However, we are confident that Normunds brings exactly the right combination of crisis management expertise, transformational leadership and strategic vision needed to turn our company around and position us for future success.”
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