• March 28, 2024

Tobacco executives go electronic

Tony Scanlan has been appointed to the newly-created role of CEO at the UK-based electronic cigarette manufacturer and distributor, Gamucci.

In a press note, the company said that Scanlan had a strong background and reputation in the traditional tobacco industry, having spent 17 years with Rothmans International in a number of senior roles, including strategic new brands director.

Scanlan will oversee Gamucci’s operations worldwide.

Meanwhile, John Dunne has joined Gamucci as head of sales.

Dunne was said to have had more than 13 years’ experience in the tobacco industry, including senior sales roles at Altria, with Philip Morris USA and John Middleton Cigars.

At the same time, Gamucci has appointed two former Imperial Tobacco executives to its senior team. Jonathan Cox will be leading Gamucci’s expansion into North America as CEO, USA. He was head of business development in Asia and Latin America at Imperial Tobacco for six years before moving on to head up Imperial’s US subsidiary, Commonwealth Brands.

And Jacqueline Burrows is advising the executive team as associate director of corporate affairs. Burrows has 25 years’ experience in the international tobacco industry. She was director of public affairs for Rothmans International before spending the past 11 years with Imperial Tobacco, most recently as head of public and political affairs. She now has her own public affairs consultancy, Lansdown Public Affairs.

Commenting on the appointments, Gamucci founders, Taz and Umer Sheikh said the company was operating in a rapidly growing market and its vision was to create a global electronic cigarettes brand. “These appointments add considerable depth of industry knowledge, experience and capacity to our senior team, which will blend very well with the entrepreneurial perspective we have as founders,” they said.

“We have already built a strong platform, which includes an exclusive manufacturing base and R&D division, and these appointments will act as a catalyst in taking the company to the next stage in its development. The fact that Gamucci is attracting tobacco industry professionals of such high calibre is testament to the opportunity that exists for us to grow the business internationally.”