As Global Head of Research & Leadership Advisory at JRG Partners, I have ranked the top 10 most in-demand executive roles in Wine, Beer & Spirits for 2026 based on our search activity and the sector’s structural shifts. This is an industry navigating shifting consumer preferences, premiumization, and direct-to-consumer disruption, where leadership must build brands and manage complex three-tier and production economics, and the roles below are where employer demand most exceeds available supply.
Key Takeaways: The Most Contested Wine, Beer & Spirits Leadership Roles
- Chief Marketing / Brand Officer and Chief Commercial Officer top the demand list, reflecting shifting consumer preferences, premiumization, moderation, and category rotation.
- Technology and transition-specific roles now compete directly with traditional operational seats for board attention.
- Most of these roles require candidates who are currently employed and must be recruited through direct, retained approach.
- Compensation for the scarcest roles is being pulled upward as employers bid against adjacent sectors.
- Succession gaps in several of these seats are a growing board-level risk.
Why These Roles, and Why Now
Three forces concentrate demand on the seats below. Shifting consumer preferences, premiumization, moderation, and category rotation, are reshaping brand and portfolio strategy. Direct-to-consumer and e-commerce, where regulation allows, are creating new commercial and digital demands. Production, supply-chain, and distribution complexity across the three-tier system demand sophisticated operational leadership. The result is a leadership market where these ten roles command disproportionate board attention and search investment.
The Top 10 In-Demand Executive Roles in Wine, Beer & Spirits
1. Chief Marketing / Brand Officer
Demand for the Chief Marketing / Brand Officer is driven by brand-building and premiumization. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
2. Chief Commercial Officer
Demand for the Chief Commercial Officer is driven by three-tier route-to-market and growth. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
3. Chief Operating Officer
Demand for the Chief Operating Officer is driven by production and supply-chain leadership. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
4. Chief Digital / DTC Officer
Demand for the Chief Digital / DTC Officer is driven by direct-to-consumer and e-commerce. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
5. Chief Financial Officer
Demand for the Chief Financial Officer is driven by brand economics and capital allocation. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
6. VP of Sales
Demand for the VP of Sales is driven by distributor and account management. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
7. VP of Winemaking / Production
Demand for the VP of Winemaking / Production is driven by product quality and craft. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
8. Chief Innovation Officer
Demand for the Chief Innovation Officer is driven by new-category and product development. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
9. VP of Supply Chain
Demand for the VP of Supply Chain is driven by sourcing, production, and logistics. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
10. Chief People Officer
Demand for the Chief People Officer is driven by talent and culture. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
What This Demand Picture Means for Employers
The concentration of demand on these ten seats has three implications: searches for them take longer and cost more, cross-sector sourcing is often unavoidable, and succession planning for these roles is now a strategic priority rather than an HR afterthought. Our guide to executive search in Wine, Beer & Spirits covers the sourcing and process discipline these roles require, and our Wine, Beer & Spirits compensation report benchmarks what they command.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the most in-demand executive role in Wine, Beer & Spirits for 2026?
- A: The Chief Marketing / Brand Officer leads sector demand, driven by brand-building and premiumization.
- Q: Which Wine, Beer & Spirits roles are hardest to recruit?
- A: The technology and transition-specific seats, Chief Digital / DTC Officer and Chief Financial Officer among them, because the required capabilities often sit outside the sector’s traditional bench.
- Q: Are these roles filled internally or externally?
- A: Increasingly externally for the transition-era seats, since the capabilities are new to the sector; traditional operational roles retain deeper internal benches.
- Q: How should employers compete for these roles?
- A: With mandate clarity, competitive and market-benchmarked packages, and a decisive process, since the strongest candidates field multiple approaches continuously.
Related Wine, Beer & Spirits Resources
See also Wine, Beer & Spirits executive search guide, Wine, Beer & Spirits executive compensation report, Wine, Beer & Spirits CEO hiring guide.
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Tanya Gallardo
Managing Director, Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy
Tanya Gallardo is the Managing Director of Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy at JRG Partners, leading C-suite and Board engagements across key growth sectors including Technology, Financial Services, and Manufacturing.
With over 18 years of experience specializing in disruptive technology leadership, Tanya is recognized as a leading authority on talent architecture for future-focused executive roles, such as the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) and Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Her expertise lies in accurately assessing the cultural fit and technical depth required to ensure a high return on investment (ROI) for critical leadership appointments.
Prior to her role at JRG Partners, Tanya held senior roles directing global talent acquisition strategies at a major publicly-traded technology firm, advising on organizational design and succession planning for emerging executive functions. She is a recognized speaker and contributor to industry events, sharing data-driven insights on executive compensation, leadership development, and the measurable business impact of C-suite talent.
