Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, has strengthened its buying team with a string of new hires as it doubles down on driving quality, newness and innovation across drinks, snacks and gifting.
The retailer has appointed three new Senior Buyers to its multi-award-winning team, all of whom will be central to Majestic’s mission to help customers discover wines, beers and spirits they will love.
Firstly, Phil Edwards has joined the Majestic team to oversee the key categories of Spain, Rose, Champagne and Sparkling and Fine Wine. Edwards holds a WSET Diploma and brings more than 30 years of experience in the drinks industry, including spells at Direct Wines, Booker, Safeway, Threshers, Mitchells and Butlers and Drinks 21. Edwards joins Majestic from wines & spirits supplier General Wine & Liquor Company, where he served as commercial manager.
Edwards is joined at Majestic by Karen O’Donoghue, who has made the switch from the Irish department store chain, Dunnes. O’Donoghue holds a WSET Diploma and is two years into her Master of Wine studies. At Majestic, O’Donoghue will be responsible for looking after all French red and white wines.
Majestic’s trio of new senior buyers is completed by Catherine Forbes-Taylor, who joins the retailer from organic baby food specialist, Ella’s Kitchen. Forbes-Taylor has 15 years of experience in buying roles, including stints with John Lewis, Whittard of Chelsea and furniture brand Laura James. Forbes-Taylor, who is educated to WSET Level 3, brings a wealth of commercial nous, as well as expertise in packaging and EPR – knowledge that will help Majestic navigate the ever-changing landscape of policy and taxation in the drinks industry. She will oversee the buying of wines from New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Chile.
James Cox, who previously worked in Majestic stores between 2011 and 2015, has also returned to the business as a junior buyer. Cox, who previously worked at importer agency Le Cave De Pyrene, will support Tom Brady, senior buyer – proposition development at Majestic, to bolster the retailer’s offering across complementary categories including low and no, snacks and accessories.
The new additions join existing team members Jane Masters MW, Zara Cassidy, Andy Bray and Rebecca Ohayon Gergely. All will report to Majestic’s head of buying, Matt Fowkes.
Majestic managing director Elizabeth Newman said: “I’m delighted to welcome Phil, Karen, Catherine and James to Majestic. They will bring different ideas, perspectives and expertise to the buying team and I’m really looking forward to working with all of them as we develop our award-winning proposition across wines, beers, spirits and our fast-growing snacks and gifting categories.
“We’re really proud of our track record of sourcing exciting, innovative and exclusive wines from around the world, and our new buyers are perfectly placed to help us to continue delivering on that promise for our customers.”
