Category: People

New TA leadership
Hank Mozingo is the new president of Tobacco Associates, effective today.
During his 27 years of service, Mozingo directed the organization’s international operations, assembled and managed a team of renowned consultants, and secured laboratory facilities necessary to provide sophisticated technical assistance for developing successful tobacco products utilizing the unique qualities of U.S. leaf.
Mozingo succeeds Kirk Wayne, who retired after serving Tobacco Associates for 47 years, including 38 as president.
Under Kirk’s leadership, Tobacco Associates advanced from an information provider into a dynamic and unique organization providing education, U.S. leaf grade standards instruction, and assistance in product development techniques to utilize the special quality attributes of U.S.-produced tobacco.
According to Tobacco Associates, the programs have benefited hundreds of cigarette manufacturing officials by assisting in the development of new successful products and have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in increased export sales of U.S. leaf.
March 31, 2017
Qarimi joins Swisher
Stephan Qarimi
Swisher International has expanded its international sales team with the appointment of Stephan Qarimi as an international market manager and director of travel retail. Qarimi will focus on marketing Swisher products that are currently distributed in more than 60 countries.
Prior to joining Swisher International, Qarimi served as international sales and marketing manager for Royal Agio Cigars, where he was responsible for multiple markets, including North America.
“As we continue to focus on growing our globally recognized brands such as Swisher Sweets, BlackStone, King Edward and Pom Pom, the ability to provide world-class customer service will be key,” said Joe Augustus, senior vice president of global affairs.
“Adding a professional of Stephan’s caliber to the team allows us to continue to meet our customers’ needs worldwide.”
Qarimi has extensive global sales experience and a successful track record in opening new international markets and developing existing international markets together with importers and distributor accounts.
March 23, 2017
CFO resumes duties
Universal Corp.’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David C. Moore has returned from a temporary medical leave of absence.
Effective immediately, Moore will resume his management duties and responsibilities as the company’s principal financial officer.
March 16, 2017
Inspiring women
Photo by Ashraf Siddiqui 76
Farhana Chowdhury, area manager of British American Tobacco Bangladesh, was named the Inspiring Woman Leader at a ceremony at Le Méridien hotel in Dhaka on International Women’s Day, according to a story in the Dhaka Daily Star.
This year marked the third year in which Women In Leadership, an initiative of the Bangladesh Brand Forum, had staged the Inspiring Women Awards.
Fourteen women professionals from different walks of life were awarded for succeeding in leadership positions and establishing themselves as role models.
In addition, two organizations and one special initiative were recognized at the awards.
A total of 27 awards were made in 12 categories.
Earlier in the day, Women In Leadership celebrated International Women’s Day with the Women Leadership Summit 2017. The summit included five keynote sessions, two panel discussions and a brainstorming session.
March 14, 2017
Greer to lead TMA
Christopher Greer
The TMA has appointed Christopher B. Greer as its new president and CEO.
Greer comes to TMA from Japan Tobacco International’s U.S. division, where he served first as regulatory affairs manager and then as director and department head of corporate affairs & communications.
Greer’s work at JTI focused on FDA, government relations, corporate communications, corporate and regulatory compliance, Master Settlement Agreement management and anti-illicit trade. In addition, he served as the JTI representative to the TMA board of directors.
Greer brings a fresh perspective to the organization as both an end-user of TMA products and services and as an executive whose experience lies at the heart of many issues facing the industry.
He is taking over at a time highlighted by industry changes and opportunities driven by regulation, sustainability and new product innovations.
March 3, 2017
Winfried Hinz passes away
WInfried Hinz
Winfried Hinz, longtime managing director of the Mignot & De Block group, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 15, aged 72.
During his 14-year tenure, Hinz contributed decisively to the success of the German smoking accessories business.
Among other milestones, he oversaw the 1997 sale of Gizeh to the Dutch Mignot & De Block group.
Hinz was a driving force behind the development of the enterprise, until his retirement in 2009. In addition, he was a strong advocate for the sector through the Verband der Zigarettenpapier verarbeitenden Industrie (an association of cigarette paper processing companies) and the European Rolling Paper Association.
In 2001, Hinz, together with company owner Marianne Mignot, laid the first stone for a new company office in Gummersbach-Windhagen, Germany. Since then, the staff at that location has doubled to 160 people.
“Gizeh, Mascotte and Marie are up to this day innovative and leading brands in the world of self-made enjoyment—a status they owe in part to the work of Winfried Hinz,” said Christian Hinz, who succeeded his father in the company’s management in 2009.
February 20, 2017
Paul Doody passes away
Paul Doody
Paul Doody, global marketing director at Domino Printing Sciences, passed away on Jan. 11, 2017.
Doody took up the role of global marketing director with Domino in January 2016, drawing on his extensive experience to define and drive effective marketing campaigns.
Doody had a varied and distinguished career that saw him manage European projects at Unilever and take on global marketing responsibilities at Linx Printing Technologies. He brought a wealth of experience to his role at Domino, along with a healthy dose of enthusiasm and creative flair. Doody played a key role in the launch of the Ax-Series, Domino’s ground-breaking new range of CIJ printers, which debuted at PackExpo in November, 2016.
“Although only with Domino for a year, Paul made a huge impact on our business both at a personal and a professional level,” said David Bywater, group product director at Domino Printing Sciences. “We will all miss him as a friend, a colleague and a true marketing professional.”
February 13, 2017
Malkin joins Arent Fox
Brian Malkin
Brian J. Malkin has joined Arent Fox’s food, drug, medical device and agriculture practice. Among other things, he will advise customers on the interrelation between patent law and food and drug law.
Previously, Malkin was with McGuireWoods, where he led the firm’s Food and Drug Administration regulatory team. His regulatory experience includes all types of FDA-regulated products, including drugs, cosmetics and tobacco.
Malkin’s intellectual property experience includes FDA and patent litigation for both innovator and generic companies. As an advisor to innovator drug companies, he has helped clients create strategies for approval of new drug applications, reviewed existing patent portfolios, and developed risk management programs.
Malkin began his legal career as a regulatory counsel at the FDA, where he worked for more than nine years in both the Office of the Commissioner and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. At the FDA, he focused on new product evaluations, compliance issues related to clinical investigations, and intellectual property.
He received his law degree from The George Washington University Law School.
February 10, 2017
Norris to lead Altadis USA premium cigars
Rob Norris
Tabacalera USA has appointed Rob Norris as general manager of its Altadis USA premium cigar division. He will be based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and report to Javier Estades, the head of Tabacalera USA.
Previously, Norris was the CEO of JR Cigar. Prior to joining JR Cigar, he was the head of sales and trade marketing for Altadis USA.
A new general manager for JR Cigar will be appointed shortly. In the meantime, Wanda Rosella, JR Cigar’s chief financial officer, will be managing the business.
“Rob’s elevation to head Altadis USA reflects his leadership abilities and significant experience gained in the organization over a number of years. Rob brings to this new post a full understanding of the overall premium cigar category,” Estades said.
Tabacalera USA is the U.S. premium cigar division of U.K.-based Imperial Brands.

February 4, 2017
Imperial pay policy dumped
Alison Cooper
Shareholders have blocked a multimillion-pound pay rise for Alison Cooper, chief executive of Imperial Brands, according to a story by Jill Treanor published in the January 27 edition of The Guardian.
Treanor wrote that Imperial had issued an unexpected announcement to the stock exchange on January 26 to say that, after speaking to shareholders, it would no longer put its new pay policy to a vote at its annual meeting on February 1.
The policy which must be voted on every three years, would have boosted Cooper’s pay from £5.5 million to a potential £8.5 million a year from increased bonus opportunities.
David Haines, who chairs the company’s remuneration committee, was quoted as saying that the pay rise was needed because Cooper and other top executives were underpaid. He described their pay deals as “significantly below the average for companies of our size”.
Imperial’s chairman, Mark Williams reportedly suggested that he believed the pay rise was necessary to prevent the company’s top bosses from quitting and for it to be able to hire new executives.
Writing in the same issue of the Guardian, Nils Pratley said that Williams and Haines should take a cold look at how they had misread the mood.
‘Cooper earned £5.5 million out a theoretical maximum of £7.1 million last year,’ Pratley wrote. ‘Imperial’s justification for trying to increase her potential annual jackpot to £8.5 million was thin in the extreme. Haines claimed executives at other firms of similar size could earn more and asserted the risk of defection without evidence.’
January 30, 2017