Tabacalera USA Makes Change At Top: Company Names New CEO
One of the world’s largest cigar companies has a new chief executive officer of its American operations. After more than a decade, Javier Estades is no longer running Tabacalera USA, the massive cigar entity that owns and sells such prominent non-Cuban brands as Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, VegaFina and many others. Yesterday was Estades’ last day at the company. He had been CEO of Tabacalera USA since October 2015. On the same day, Charles Gibb, a longtime veteran of the spirits industry, was made CEO.
News of the change in leadership was revealed to employees today at company headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“I think it’s a phenomenal business with tremendous brands,” Gibb told Cigar Aficionado. “I’m really excited to be on board, really excited to be in play.”
Gibb most recently served as CEO of WhistlePig Whiskey. He also has been president and CEO of Belvedere Vodka (part of LVMH), and CEO of Fever-Tree USA, the high-end brand of mixers. Earlier in his career, he spent several years at Moët-Hennessy.
Tabacalera USA has three main business units: distributor Altadis U.S.A., retailer JR Cigar and the Casa de Montecristo group of cigar lounges and stores. It is owned by a group of investors based in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
