Ricardo Carioni joins Gesinta as CEO

Spain’s leading cigar manufacturer, sales, education and marketing arm of premium cigar makers from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras and Mexico, Gesinta International Tobacco Company, announced the appointment of Ricardo Carioni as their Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Ramón Zapata, Chairman of Gesinta and its importation and distribution company, La Casa del Tabaco, as well as renowned brands including Condega and Umnum, said: “Our companies keep growing and our organisations are becoming more complex. We face new challenges in the tobacco industry that require agile responses from experienced and specialised professionals. As the founder of both companies, I am delighted and truly excited to welcome Ricardo to our family and I’m confident he’ll have a fruitful career with us.”

Ricardo Carioni said: “I feel genuinely honoured to join Ramón Zapata, Pepe Palacios and Honorio Tortosa in the executive team and the rest of the Gesinta family. It’s a responsibility that I take with profound commitment and excitement, as guardians of our tobacco culture, to further strengthen, protect, grow and develop our industry.”

Ricardo’s appointment is an important step in the strategic plan designed for the upcoming years, with a twofold objective: on one hand, to strengthen the distribution and sales of the best premium cigar brands in Spain; and on the other hand, to develop a sustainable growth in key areas, both in domestic and international markets.

Carioni, born in Nicaragua, forged his career in the premium cigar industry as the COO of Tor Imports in Great Britain. Prior to joining the industry, he was Nicaragua’s Deputy Ambassador to the U.K., Ireland and Iceland, as well as its representative to the United Nations Maritime Organisation and other multilateral institutions. Previously, he led strategy and operations across various geographies for large organisations,  including Tripadvisor and William Hill.

Photo: C.Gars – London