Zamora Company, parent company of brands such as Ramón Bilbao, Licor 43, and Mar de Frades, has strengthened its organization by incorporating Mike Howard and André Duarte as the top leaders of the North America and Latin America clusters, respectively, with the intention of accelerating its progress in key markets, the company has communicated.
The company specialized in 'premium' wines and spirits emphasizes that these hires are part of its strategy "to strengthen its regional management capacity and accelerate the execution of its growth strategy in two priority regions for its international development."
In the 2025 fiscal year, international business accounted for 54.4% of Zamora Company's revenue, owner of Licor 43, Ramón Bilbao, or Martin Miller's Gin, along with other references of high-end wines and spirits.
Based in Dallas (Texas), Mike Howard takes on the responsibility of the North America Cluster, which includes the United States and Canada, while André Duarte, from São Paulo (Brazil), will lead the Latin America Cluster, which encompasses South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The company highlights that both executives "bring extensive experience in the beverage and spirits industry, as well as a deep understanding of the markets, distribution channels, and commercial dynamics that characterize their respective regions."
These additions also bolster the group's international management model, bringing decision-making and commercial execution closer to local markets and consumers, while simultaneously favoring a shared vision for the development of the portfolio and brands at a global level.
"ADDING TWO LEADERS"
The CEO of Zamora Company, Javier Pijoan, has stated that these arrivals allow "to add two leaders" with a deep knowledge of the sector to accelerate the company's growth within its 'One Agile Global Company' model, "a formula that gives us great results."
Howard has over 25 years of experience in commercial leadership, brand building, and operational management in the beverage sector. With a career primarily developed in the North American market, he has held top responsibility positions both in brand companies and in distribution operators. Before his arrival at Zamora Company, Howard held the position of 'president North America' at Stoli Group USA.
Previously he was 'chief commercial officer' of Altos Planos, where he led the commercial development of Mijenta, a tequila brand that increased its sales by more than 400% in three years. His professional journey also includes the creation and management of Southwest Spirits & Wine, as well as high-responsibility roles at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, where he managed the profit and loss account of a distribution business of 600 million dollars (about 518 million euros).
In parallel, André Duarte brings more than 30 years of executive experience in the beverage and spirits sector, with a career focused on commercial strategy, business development, distribution, and marketing in Latin America and the Caribbean. He joins Zamora Company from Brown-Forman, one of the leading American companies in wine and spirits, where he has held various senior management positions.
Throughout his career, he has also taken on different responsibilities in the Scottish group William Grant & Sons, including the management of the subsidiary in Brazil, and has worked in companies such as AB InBev, the largest brewing group in the world.
His professional background covers markets such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and other countries in the region, combining profit and loss account management, the design of commercial plans, relationships with distributors, and the building and consolidation of brands.