Beleaguered online wine retailer Naked Wines has appointed Rodrigo Maza as managing director of its UK operations.

Maza will succeed James Crawford, who will now turn his focus entirely to the role of chief financial officer of Naked Wines Group, a position to which he was reappointed in October 2022.

He joins from AB InBev, where he held the role of MD of the group’s PerfectDraft operations in continental Europe. Prior to this, he held various digital and consumer-facing roles for the brewer in seven Latin American countries.

A 20-year drinks industry veteran, Maza would bring “a strong skillset and an excellent reputation for delivering world-class shopping experiences and profitable growth” to Naked Wines, the company said.

He would lead the company’s 200-strong UK team and be tasked with growing “brand awareness and digital-first initiatives”, it added.

“Maza’s extensive strategic experience, relentless customer focus and track record of driving innovation in the beverage space make him a natural leader for our key UK business,” said Naked global CEO Nick Devlin.

Maza added: “Naked is a trailblazing business that sets a great example with its authentic purpose. The enthusiasm and unwavering support I have seen for our Angels and winemakers is contagious, and I am excited to lead the UK team into its next phase of development.”

It comes after Naked last month released its delayed financial results for the year to April, revealing it fell to a £15m loss as a result of falling sales and one-off charges and writeoffs.

The group also downgraded its expectations after a “slower than expected” start to 2024, stating it now expects full-year revenues to decline 8% to 12%. Meanwhile, adjusted EBIT is forecast to fall back to £8m-£12m.