Saskia de Rothschild to become CEO and director general of Château Lafite Rothschild

Four years after taking over from her father Baron Eric de Rothschild as Chairman of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), Saskia de Rothschild announced this week that she will move into a direct managerial role as CEO and director general.

The news was presented alongside the departure of Jean-Guillaume Prats, who moved to DBR Lafite as CEO in 2017, coming from a similar role at LVMH’s Châteaux and Estates, where he was overseeing 15 estates in 8 countries.

A graduate of HEC Paris and Columbia University, Saskia de Rotshchild started her career as a journalist at the International New York Times, but has long worked alongside her father at the family estates in France, Argentina, Chile and China, as well as across the two négociant lines, Légende and Saga. She was directly responsible for the relaunch of Château Rieussec, and lives full-time in Pauillac – the first member of the Lafite side of the Rothschild family to do so since the 1855 First Growth was first bought by Baron James in 1868.

A statement released by the company said, ‘The passionate engagement of Jean-Guillaume Prats, and his professional expertise, allowed us to breath a new sense of dynamism into DBR Lafite, and we thank him warmly for all that he has brought us, through his profound understanding of the wine world, his love of great wines and his spirit of innovation…’.

‘Having a family member look after our estates… is an essential part of our long term vision; firstly to respond to the social and environmental responsibilities that are increasingly vital, and secondly to continue to produce magical wines,’ said de Rothschild.

‘I hope in a modest way, and with great passion, I have brought a new sense of dynamism and momentum to DBR over the past four years,’ Prats told me in an email today, ‘and it has been my great privilege to work alongside this team as we put in place the vision for the future. Now is the right time for Saskia de Rothschild to take over the full running of the family châteaux and properties’.

Prats was born in Bordeaux and grew up at Château Cos d’Estournel in St Estèphe, just next door to Lafite Rothschild. The Prats family owns a number of wine estates in France, South Africa and Portugal, including the recently purchased Château d’Estoublon in Provence, in a partnership with hotelier Stéphane Courbit.

Saskia de Rothschild will take over direct responsibilities from December 1, working alongside the board of directors.