Amber Beverage Group names Normunds Stanevics as CEO
Stanevics brings strong international leadership and M&A experience to guide ABG’s expansion and operational turnaround strategy.
UK – Amber Beverage Group Holding (ABG) has appointed Normunds Stanevics as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2025.
He succeeds Chief Legal Officer Arturs Evarts, who had been serving as Acting CEO.
Stanevics steps into the role with more than 20 years of senior international leadership experience across multiple sectors.
His expertise spans multi-country operations, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and building high-performance teams—skills that are expected to be central to ABG’s growth plans.
As CEO, Stanevics will lead the group’s efforts to accelerate international market expansion, enhance its portfolio of premium spirits, implement operational efficiency measures, and pursue strategic partnerships and acquisitions.
His leadership style prioritizes collaboration, transparency, data-driven strategy, and team empowerment.
Before joining ABG, Stanevics held the position of Group CEO and CFO for Europe at Food Union Group, an FMCG company operating in nine markets across the Baltics, Nordics, and Central and Eastern Europe. There, he managed strategic planning, cross-border M&A transactions, and post-acquisition integration, significantly improving group-wide profitability.
“The company has tremendous potential for growth and expansion,” said Stanevics. “My immediate focus will be on delivering quick wins in the first 100 days, implementing a comprehensive transformation and growth plan, and establishing a strong foundation for our long-term strategic vision.”
Stoli Group, ABG’s majority shareholder, expressed full support for the appointment. “We are confident that Normunds brings exactly the right combination of crisis management expertise, transformational leadership, and strategic vision needed to turn our company around,” the company said in a statement.
ABG, known for brands such as Kah and Rooster Rojo tequilas and Moskovskaya vodka, reported a 23% year-on-year sales drop to EUR 42.8 million (US$50.4 million) in the first quarter of 2025.
The leadership change aims to address operational challenges and reposition the company for long-term success.
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