Vinarchy has appointed Nicole Battistessa as managing director for Australia and New Zealand, effective next month.
The business was formed last year following the merger of Accolade Wines and Pernod Ricard.
In her new role, Battistessa will oversee commercial operations and distribution across both markets, working closely with CEO Danny Celoni to drive the company’s strategy.
Battistessa brings more than 25 years’ experience in global FMCG, having held senior leadership roles with Nestle, Unilever, and Kimberly-Clark.
Her previous positions include MD of Nestle Singapore and GM of Purina Australia and New Zealand. Most recently, she served as Nestlé’s director of digital transformation and IT in Australia.
Celoni said Battistessa’s cross-market experience and commercial leadership would support the next phase of growth.
“Her ability to deliver shared growth as a foundation for deep customer relationships and her strength in leading high-performing teams will be incredibly valuable as we deliver our strategy,” he said.
Battistessa said she is looking forward to joining the business as it approaches its one-year milestone.
“With our exceptional portfolio offering, a dynamic innovation pipeline, and an outstanding team, I can’t wait to partner with our customers and make a real impact as we take the wine category forward together,” she added.
