Ruben Rodriguez, chairman of the board of Bacardi Limited, announced Andreas Gembler will become the company's new president and chief executive officer effective June 1. Gembler has served on Bacardi's board of directors since June 2003.

"Andreas is a highly accomplished global business executive with a wealth of experience," said Rodriguez. "In the two years he has served on Bacardi's board, he has contributed significantly to the success of the company while bringing continuous leadership."

Rodriguez added in demonstration of the company's commitment to strong corporate governance, Gembler was one of the three outside directors appointed to the board. As chief executive, he will remain on the board.

Gembler was elected by unanimous vote of the board of directors at a meeting May 12 at the company headquarters in Hamilton, Bermuda. Gembler served on Bacardi's Audit Committee and Compensation Committee.

"Bacardi Limited is a forward-looking company with an excellent portfolio of premium products. We will continue to drive growth organically, through acquisition and new product development," said Gembler.

Gembler has served as chairman of Bertolucci Watch Manufacturing in Neuchatel, Switzerland, since 2001. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors of the SKYTEC group. Previously, Gembler served as president and chief executive officer of Philip Morris International until 1999. Before that, he held the position of president, Europe/Middle East and Africa from 1990-1997. He received his B.A. in business administration in Bremen, Germany.