William Grant boss lands senior role at Diageo Asia

Distiller William Grant & Sons innovation boss Guy Middleton is understood to have landed a senior marketing role at Diageo’s Asia division. It is believed that he has already taken up the post.

It is thought that Middleton will have the title of regional marketing director, and be based in Singapore.

His remit is to cover the marketing of brands such as Baileys, Guinness, Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff across a number of markets including Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.

At William Grant, where Middleton held the role of blended whisky innovation manager, he was in charge of the Monkey Shoulder triple malt whisky brand, which has attracted a new wave of younger drinkers to the whisky market.

Diageo’s Asia & greater China region is part of its international division, which accounts for about 30% of the drinks giant’s operating profit. In Asia and greater China, the company works with a number of joint-venture partners, distributing spirits and wine brands through joint arrangements with Moët Hennessy.

In Malaysia and Singapore, Diageo brews branded and third-party beers through a joint-venture company that it owns with Asia Pacific Breweries.

Diageo declined to confirm Middleton’s appointment as Marketing Week went to press.