Plasencia Cigars Names New CEO

When Plasencia Cigars named former Davidoff exec Jim Young its chief executive officer in September of 2023, it was an interim position. Now, more than a year later, Plasencia has found its man, appointing Edward Bello as its new CEO.
Bello, 53, comes from the spirits industry with a resume that includes 15 years with Diageo and, most recently, serving as CMO of Catalyst Spirits LLC, a start-up brand incubator. According to Plasencia, Bello begins on the first of April, but will work closely with Young for the next three months “to ensure a smooth handover,” the company says. Afterward, Young plans to stay on as an advisor and board member.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Ed to the Plasencia business as CEO,” says Nestor Andrés Plasencia, the company’s fifth-generation owner. “Our family and partners have enormous confidence that he is the perfect fit to head our efforts to develop and grow our beloved brand.”