Accolade Wines Hardy's

The maker of Hardys, Jam Shed and Mud House is set to acquire Pernod Ricard’s wine business

Accolade Wines has announced its CEO Robert Foye is to step down after four years.

Foye joined Accolade in March 2020 as COO before assuming the role of CEO two months later. During his time at the Australian wine giant, Foye had “led significant transformations across the company” despite “significant external challenges”, Accolade said.

Following the sale of Accolade Wines to a Bain-led consortium in February, and the subsequent announcement the company was to merge with Pernod Ricard’s wine division, Foye had decided to “relocate permanently back to Texas to spend more time with his family”, Accolade said.

Chairman Ben Clarke was to assume the role of executive chairman and “lead the business through its next exciting phase of growth”, it added.

Once the purchase of Pernod Ricard’s wine assets has been completed and the two portfolios combined, Accolade is expected to appoint a new permanent CEO.

Clarke, who only joined Accolade as chairman in April 2024, is based in the UK and a non-executive director for companies including Soulfresh, White Rabbit and Young Foodies. He was previously a senior advisor at Bain Capital.

He had “held various board and executive leadership roles with multiple food and beverage businesses in Europe, the US and Australia, including leading Kraft Foods in Australia and New Zealand in the early 2000s”, Accolade Wines said.