IDV brings in Asia boss to head J&B whisky brands

International Distillers & Vintners has moved its managing director of Asia, Richard Watling, over to its London office to head the Scotch whisky division Justerini & Brooks.

Watling replaces Chris Banks, who joined Coca-Cola last month as Coke’s regional manager for the North-west Europe division.

Overseeing the brand development and marketing for J&B, Wat-ling will also take the title of international brand director for the whiskies division.

The J&B brand includes J&B Jet, J&B Reserve and J&B Ultima. Also in the division are IDV’s other Scotch whiskies, Knockando, The Singleton of Auchriosk, Dunhill and Spey Royal.

GrandMet, IDV’s parent, issued results for the financial year to September 1996, which showed that J&B volume sales were up by four per cent to 6.1 million nine litre cases.

Watling has been managing director of IDV Asia since February last year, heading marketing development across Asia.

He joined IDV in 1992 as marketing director of the European division, coming from Allied Distillers where he was also marketing director.