From Transition to Transformation: CFO Leadership in Premium Wine Operations

The Client

Our client is the fully owned American subsidiary of a renowned, family-owned global wine and champagne house with a history dating back to the 18th century. The U.S. business operates in two divisions: a national importing and distribution arm selling to a network of wholesalers within the three-tier system, and a collection of premium Northern California wineries.

Known for combining French heritage with American entrepreneurial spirit, the brand enjoys a prestigious reputation worldwide.

The Challenge

The incoming CFO would replace the organization’s 20-year finance leader, who was being promoted to CEO and relocating to New York. In addition to leading the Oakland office and its 30 employees, the new CFO would be filling the leadership gap left by the departing CEO, requiring 100 percent onsite presence.

One year earlier, the company had completed its largest acquisition to date, a well-known Northern California winery. The CFO role required immediate oversight of the annual budgeting process, an intensive two-week presentation to ownership every February, while also integrating new systems from the acquisition. The hire would need to be made in Q4 so the CFO could step directly into these responsibilities.

The Solution

Boyden launched a robust search, reaching 142 qualified candidates, with 58 requesting the detailed job specification. Eighteen candidates were invited to complete an AbilityMap Imprint, and 11 progressed to interviews with the U.S. president and global CEO, using consistent behavioral questions aligned to the role’s critical and essential capabilities.

Five finalists met face-to-face with the CEO, leading to three final candidates presented to ownership. Prior to presentation, these candidates completed a Prophet Work Style preference assessment.

The selected candidate, chosen in late September, brought retail expertise, systems integration experience, proven leadership skills, and the potential for a long-term tenure in the role. From contract signing to job acceptance, the process took 119 days, with the final shortlist identified just 46 days after launch.

The Results & Course Corrections

The first four months were challenging. Physical distance between the CEO and CFO created communication difficulties. The long-standing controller resigned at year-end, language differences caused trust issues, and incompatible systems relied heavily on individual Excel spreadsheets.

Through multiple discussions with both the CFO and CEO, three core problems emerged: limited CEO availability, language barriers in mixed company, and remote operations from the acquired winery’s team.

Boyden facilitated solutions:

• A weekly one-hour meeting with a mutually agreed agenda.
• Agreement to use English as the common language in mixed settings.
• Regular visits by the acquisition team to the Oakland office.
• A revised budget meeting schedule, pushed back two weeks to incorporate final year-end numbers, with presentations due one week in advance and rehearsal of the presentation sequence.

The Impact

Four years later, the finance team of 15 has achieved full stability, with zero turnover in the past two years. The role has evolved into a cornerstone of the organization’s U.S. operations, bridging cultural gaps and reinforcing the company’s operational and financial foundations.