Exclusive: Moët Hennessy Names Hospitality Veteran Chris Gabaldon President Of North America

After a lengthy search, Moët Hennessy has appointed hospitality industry veteran Chris Gabaldon as president of its North America region, SND has learned.Gabaldon fills the position left vacant since former Moët Hennessy North America president Seth Kaufman departed last July.

Gabaldon joins Moët Hennessy from Marriott International, where he served as senior vice president, global luxury operations and guest experiences, overseeing operations for brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Bvlgari, The W, and others. He’s also served as senior vice president, luxury brands, and in other key sales and marketing roles across more than two decades with Marriott. In addition, Gabaldon was chief operating officer for Auberge Resorts Collection—known for its luxury properties in Napa Valley, Hawaii, Aspen, the Hudson Valley, and elsewhere—from 2019-2020.

In an internal memo obtained by SND, Moët Hennessy executive vice president of global distribution Jean-Marc Lacave said Gabaldon’s “broad experience and understanding of both the U.S. and international markets will be a defining advantage as he begins his career with Moët Hennessy,” adding that Gabaldon will relocate to New York to begin his new role in the coming weeks.

The appointment of Gabaldon ends a nine-month leadership vacuum at Moët Hennessy North America. He joins the luxury wine and spirits marketer as the company continues to battle tough conditions in the U.S., where the downturn in Cognac and broader destocking issues have created a difficult business environment over the past year.

According to Impact Databank, Hennessy Cognac decreased 15% to 3.15 million cases in the U.S. last year, while Champagne leader Veuve Clicquot slipped 8% to 608,000 cases and Moët & Chandon fell 20% to 388,000 cases. Globally, double-digit declines for Hennessy led Moët Hennessy’s full-year sales to decrease 4% to €6.6 billion ($7.2b) in 2023, with profit from recurring operations down 2% to €2.1 billion ($2.3b).

During the first quarter of this year, “Hennessy Cognac was once again hampered by a cautious attitude among retailers, which limited their orders in an environment that remained uncertain in the United States,” the company said. Still, Moët Hennessy noted that depletions in its U.S. business have been improving and were roughly flat during the first quarter, running ahead of shipments.—Daniel Marsteller

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