Stories
Whisky is a passion to explore. From the history of the spirit to the evolution of the industry, the story of whisky helps fuel that passion. Often, it’s easy to forget that whisky is also a global multibillion dollar industry. The stories of whisky — from news and new releases to in-depth inquires and what goes on behind the label — blend together to help us appreciate the spirit of whisky.
April Industry Changes
In a significant industry change, Diageo chief executive officer Ivan Menezes announced his plans to retire July 1 after 10 years on the job. He’ll be succeeded by Debra Crew, who’s currently the company’s chief operating officer.
The retirement brings an end to a 26-year-long career for Menezes at Diageo. He was part of the merger of Guinness PLC and Grand Metropolitan in 1997 that led to the creation of Diageo, and held a number of executive roles throughout his tenure.
Menezes was knighted by King Charles III in the recent New Year’s Honours List for his services to business and equality.
Crew was named chief operating officer last October after serving as president of Diageo North America. She is the former president and CEO of Reynolds American and previously held executive positions with PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, Nestle, and Mars.
Westland Distillery co-founder and managing director Matt Hofmann has disclosed his plans to leave the Seattle distillery at the end of June. Hofmann said in an email that he’d been considering the right time to step aside for a while, and decided now was the time to challenge himself to try something new.
Hofmann co-founded Westland with Emerson Lamb in 2010 and made the distillery a key part of the American Single Malt whisky movement. He spearheaded the distillery’s sale to Remy Cointreau in late 2016 and remained with the distillery as managing director and head distiller.
There’s no word on who will take over as managing director.
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