Women in Business: Sandra LeDrew, Treasury Wine Estates, Napa

Sandra LeDrew

Chief commercial officer for Americas, Treasury Wine Estates

610 Airpark Rd., Napa 94558; 707-259-4500; tweglobal.com

Sandra LeDrew is into her third decade in the wine business and has led operations for two of the industry's largest producers.

She joined Australia-based Treasury Wine Estates in March 2012 as managing director for the Napa-based Americas region. In June 2013 she transitioned into her current role as regional chief commercial officer.

'She has a solid reputation for leading teams and driving outstanding results and rounds out the strong leadership we have in our Americas region,' Treasury said in its executive leadership team description of her.

The region oversees four sales offices in the U.S. and four in Canada, seven wineries and 24 vineyards covering 7,929 acres in Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara winegrowing areas.

The Americas region is the core of Treasury sales. Last fiscal year, the region accounted for 48 percent of company sales volume, 43 percent of net sales revenue and tied with the Australia–New Zealand region for earnings contribution, 33 percent. Shipments connected to the region's operations were the equivalent of 14.3 million standard 9-liter cases, down 6.9 percent from fiscal 2013, but depletions — sales by trade accounts — were the same, 15.0 million cases.

'A 13 percent increase in Luxury and Masstige [brand portfolio] shipments to support segment growth and 2 percent volume growth in Canada was offset by the planned reduction in commercial [brand portfolio] shipments,' the company said in its fiscal 2014 annual report.

Before Treasury, LeDrew held two senior posts for Diageo, where she worked for more than 20 years. After a number of years in management positions with the Lond0n-based global alcoholic-beverage company, she was named president of U.S. wine sales for its Diageo Chateau & Estates premium wine group in early 2009.

In September 2011, she was picked as president of Diageo's newly launched Catalyst business unit. The group was tasked with a brand portfolio that included single malts, Tanqueray gin, Sterling vodka, Pimms, Moon Mountain vodka, Myers's Rum, Rumple Minz and Goldschlager. The focus was on national activation in both on- and off-premise accounts, development of merchandising, promotions pricing and local marketing tactics.