Macdonald quits as William Grant slims down its team

Simon MacDonald, managing director of William Grant & Sons, the family-owned spirits company, has left in a restructure aimed at removing a layer of management.

MacDonald is understood to have joined the UK arm of technology company Kabel X, which has developed a system to cheaply and quickly upgrade existing cable networks to handle modern data communications.

A spokesman for William Grant & Sons says the company has reorganised to create four divisions along geographic lines, with a managing director for each. The roles report to chief executive Roland van Bommel.

The company has promoted four regional directors – who previously reported to MacDonald – to the new roles.

Mark Teasdale is now managing director for North America, while Gordon Dron becomes managing director for Europe.

Kevin Fong takes over as managing director for Asia Pacific and James Doherty will take on the role for developing markets and Latin America.

Steven Sturgeon remains global marketing director.

William Grant has also just appointed media agency the7stars to handle a campaign to support cult whisky brand Monkey Shoulder’s sponsorship deal with the music magazine, NME.

Monkey Shoulder is sponsoring the NME Yearbook, and, as part of the deal, will also be running banner ads on the NME website. The brand will be sampling at the yearbook’s launch party and at the NME Awards.

A spokesman for William Grant & Sons confirms the7stars deal, which will last until the end of the first quarter 2007.