Farr Vintners' co-founder Lindsay Hamilton has come out of retirement to join Bordeaux Index as a board director.
His new executive role begins in January and will primarily be in sales and logistics, decanter.com can confirm.
Hamilton (pictured) was one of the three founders of Farr Vintners, which he helped to build into one of the UK’s biggest fine wine merchants and wholesalers before leaving in 2008, just prior to this 50th birthday.
‘We’re thrilled and delighted to have him on board,’ said BI’s managing director, Gary Boom. ‘Without question, he is one of the best in the business.’
According to Hamilton, ‘I felt the time was right to take on this new challenge. After five years out, I missed the people and I missed being in the wine trade. Gary and I have known each other for several years and he’s taking the business in a direction which I find very exciting.’
In the BI boardroom, Hamilton will join Michael Spencer, the former treasurer of the UK Conservative Party, who became company chairman in late 2011. Spencer, who is also managing director of financial broker ICAP, also took a stake in the company.
BI has 65 staff spread across offices in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Los Angeles. Group sales in its current financial year are set to top £80m, versus £53m five years ago.
