Lay & Wheeler makes two senior appointments
Fine wine merchant Lay & Wheeler has bolstered its senior team with the addition of two new recruits.
Simon Staples has been appointed as director of private clients while Catherine Petrie has joined the buying team.
Staples previously spent 23 years with Berry Bros. & Rudd where he held the position of sales director. In his new role, he will lead efforts to increase Lay & Wheeler’s work with private clients.
Meanwhile, Petrie will be responsible for the company’s buying for all of France with the exception of Bordeaux, which will continue to be led by buyer Robbie Toothill. Having qualified as a Master of Wine in 2017, she has extensive experience working in vineyards and wineries across Europe, and was previously working as a buyer for Goedhuis & Co.
The recruitment exercise is part of plans to grow the business through investment and the scaling of resources.
Katy Keating, managing director of Lay & Wheeler, said: “People are our most important resource, and we remain focused on building a best-in-class team. Simon and Catherine bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion. I’m thrilled they’re joining our Lay & Wheeler family,”
Founded in 1854, the company returned to private ownership in late 2019.
