Kathy Parker took over as global senior vice-president of Diageo’s rum portfolio as well as the David Beckham-backed Haig Club whisky at the beginning of 2014. Unlike some marketers, she believes in giving custodianship of brands to consumers so they can use and share content as they wish. She says compelling content is key to making a value exchange with customers, leading to initiatives such as Diageo’s sponsorship of New Year’s Eve travel. Parker has led Diageo’s digital strategy, working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and partnering with Facebook, Google and Apple.