Italicus founder steps down as Pernod Ricard takes full control

Giuseppe Gallo has stepped down as chief executive of Italicus, the bergamot-based Italian liqueur he founded, coinciding with Pernod Ricard taking full ownership of the brand. Pernod Ricard had previously held a minority or partial stake in Italicus as part of its strategy of backing craft and founder-led spirits brands before absorbing them more fully into its portfolio once they reach sufficient scale.

The move follows a familiar pattern in the drinks industry, where major groups invest early in an independent brand's growth, then consolidate ownership once the product has proven itself commercially, typically alongside the founder's departure or reduced involvement. For Pernod Ricard, full control of Italicus allows tighter integration into its global distribution network and marketing machinery, at a moment when the group, like other spirits majors, is under pressure to find growth drivers beyond its core whisky and vodka portfolios.

Gallo's exit raises the perennial question for founder-led brands acquired by multinational groups: whether the craft positioning and provenance story that built the brand's following can survive its transition into a fully corporate structure without the founder at the helm. Aperitivo and liqueur categories have been a bright spot in an otherwise sluggish spirits market, and Italicus has been one of the more visible Italian entrants riding that trend. What to watch is who Pernod Ricard installs to run Italicus day to day, and whether the brand's growth trajectory holds now that its founder is no longer steering it.

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