Whisky Focus - New Global Spirits Senior Leadership At International Beverage

In whisky business news, International Beverage, has today unveiled the structure of its new International Spirits Senior Leadership Team, while also bidding farewell to UK Managing Director, Malcolm Leask.

The company expressed its gratitude to Mr. Leask for his nearly three decades of dedicated service, highlighting his significant contribution to the business’s success and his leadership over the past three years in his current role.

From October, the International Spirits Leadership Team—many of whom are based at the company’s Airdrie, Scotland headquarters—will report directly to the Chief of Spirits International, who is based in Thailand.

As part of this new structure:

• Fiona Kennie will step into the role of Global Marketing Director, building on her appointment last year as Marketing Director for the Scotch portfolio. She will continue to work closely with Alan Mitchell, Operations Director for the Scotch Business, who oversees Maturation & Blending, Bottling operations in Airdrie, and the company’s five Scottish distilleries.
   
• Desiree Reid, Founder and Managing Director of Cardrona Distillery, will transition to Global Sales Director before the end of 2025, following two years on the senior leadership team after International Beverage’s acquisition of Cardrona in 2023.
   
• In New Zealand, Henry Caulton, Chief Financial Officer of Cardrona Distillery, will succeed Reid as Acting Managing Director.
   
• In France, Emmanuel Dokhelar will continue as Managing Director of Larsen Cognac, a position he took up in 2024.

This strengthened leadership team will drive International Beverage’s global growth strategy, supporting a diverse portfolio that spans award-winning single malt Scotch whiskies, Larsen Cognac in France, Cardrona Distillery spirits in New Zealand, and an expanding range of Thai spirits—including Phraya Rum and Thailand’s first single malt whisky, the recently launched PRAKAAN.

HR Director Sam Kirk stated: "Malcolm has contributed significantly to our business over the past three decades, applying his skills and commitment to developing our brands internationally. We thank him for his efforts, and he leaves our brands well positioned for the future. We wish him success in the next stage of his career."

"We are also pleased to have finalised our International Spirits Senior Leadership Team of experienced professionals leading our global operations. With Sarah Burgess recently appointed as Master of Whisky Creation and nearly 80 new recruits joining in Scotland and worldwide during 2025, we continue to invest in people as we prepare for future developments."

You will find International Beverage’s Cardrona and PRAKAAN single malt whiskies as well as their single malt Scotch whiskies such as Old Pulteney, Speyburn, Balblair, and anCnoc and of course their blended Scotch whisky Hankey Bannister available from specialist online whisky shops such as The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt
 

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