YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Ara Grigorian, the CEO of Pernod Ricard's representative offices in Ukraine and Minsk, assumed the post of director general of the Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC) on January 1. Pernod Ricard's CEO for Eastern Europe Eric Laborde said at the January 22 press conference that the former CEO of YBC Cedrik Retailleau who held this post from July 2007 to January 1, 2009, has been appointed Pernod Ricard's CEO for Venezuela. In the words of E. Laborde, "Ararat" is an absolute strategic trade mark for Pernod Ricard. He underlined that the company attaches special importance to the selection of the personnel for correct management and development of business. "The people who represent our our representative offices are Pernod Ricard's ambassadors in these countries. If a person is appointed executive director, it means that we have 100% trust in him," E. Laborde said. He described Ara Grigorian as a highly-qualified expert, thanks to whom Pernod Ricard's Ukrainian office has achieved high indices and become one of the most successful companies in the country in the past 10 years. "We are sure that we made a correct choice by appointing him, on the other hand we are glad that he has returned to homeland," E. Laborde stated. The newly appointed director said that no personnel-related changes are envisaged at the company because only professionals work there.

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