The managing director and founder of Leeds-based wine distributor Bottle Green is to retire at the end of March after 17 years with the company.

Jerry Lockspeiser has brought in Jon Eagle from Northern Foods as his successor and has also promoted Adam Marshall to comercial director.

Eagle was divisional commercial director at Northern Foods, where he worked on Fox's Biscuits, Dalepak and the Northern Foods chilled division.

"Jon is the perfect candidate to lead the company to the next level," said Lockspeiser. "His leadership skills fit perfectly with the wine expertise we now have throughout the company."

Marshall joined the company in 2001 as commercial manager from Nisa-Today's where he was licensed trading controller - wine.

Lockspeiser set up Bottle Green to bring UK consumers wines from unusual parts of the world. It has developed brands such as the organic Eden Collection and French Connection, France's third-biggest wine brand in the UK off-trade.