New GM for Distell's Asia Pacific duty free arm

Maga, based in Hong Kong, who comes with 13 years' travel retail experience in Asia Pacific, has been tasked with driving the growth of key spirits brands, Amarula, Bisquit, Bunnahabhain and Black Bottle, while capitalising on the rising appetite for Nederburg wines amongst travellers. His inclusion in the team comes on the back of double-digit year-on-year volume growth for the South African company's duty-free division.

He joins Distell from Trivision International, a Hong Kong company specialising in retail design and installation. He was formerly the Asia Pacific global travel retail manager for Beam Global Spirits & Wine, where he was instrumental in raising the profile of that company's spirits portfolio in a range of key markets across the region by introducing tailored marketing, packaging and activation strategies to suit specific countries. Before that he was the global travel retail manager for Maxxium Worldwide in Australia.

Marius Fouché, who heads Distell's global duty free division, said the appointment would allow the group to advance its growth in one of the operation's most important regions. "His conversancy with the Asia Pacific region, his ability to customise retail travel solutions for individual geographies and his success with luxury brands, make his a valuable addition to the team."

In November 2013, Distell appointed Markus Habermann as GM to handle its duty free business in Europe.