Patrón the boss of DISCUS

John McDonnell, chief operating officer (COO) of Patrón Spirits International, has been elected as the new chairman of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

McDonnell said one of his primary goals in his two-year term would be to foster stronger links between suppliers, distributors and retailers in the US.

“Our industry is facing a number of issues, from tax threats to market access concerns to equal treatment versus beer and wine, but none of these can be effectively addressed without the full co-operation from all of us who work in this business,” he added.

McDonnell, who succeeds retired Brown-Forman COO James Bareuther, will work closely with DISCUS president and CEO Peter Cressy, who praised his “energy, enthusiasm, political savvy and decades of experience”.