Proximo Spirits, Inc. hired Michael Keyes as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective Feb. 4. He will manage all operations of Proximo and its affiliates in the U.S. and Canada.
Keyes has more than 30 years of experience in the distilled spirits industry, including more than 10 years as President, North America Region, for Brown-Forman Corp. Keyes joined Brown-Forman in 1991.
His service included overseeing the company’s most important brands as a marketing executive and then serving in management positions of increasing responsibility for the company’s marketing, sales and finance functions, both in North America and globally. In all of these roles, Keyes has generated sustained growth in brand value, sales performance and financial results.
“Mike is a proven leader with the right skills and experience to lead our most profitable markets,” said Juan Domingo Beckmann, Chief Executive Officer of Proximo’s parent company, Becle, S.A.B. de C.V.
Keyes will succeed Michael Cheek, who has overseen Proximo’s operations on an interim basis since July 2018 and who will continue as a member of the Becle board of directors.
“I have known Mike Keyes for over 25 years as a man of tremendous talent and integrity. I am thrilled that Mike has agreed to join us, and that Proximo and its employees, distributors and business partners will be in such good hands going forward,” Cheek said,
“Proximo has grown rapidly over the past decade,” Keyes said, “and I look forward to working with the company’s outstanding management team and distributor network to build on Proximo’s phenomenal track record of brand development and commercial success.
“Under my leadership, Proximo will continue its dual mission of responsible stewardship of iconic legacy brands and aggressive development of innovative growth brands.”