Chivas in talks with politicians about Speyside development

Executives at Chivas Brothers recently met with Scottish politicians to discuss the development of the Speyside Scotch whisky region, it has been revealed.

Laurent Lacassagne, CEO of Chivas Brothers, has followed Diageo’s chief Ivan Menezes in meeting with Scottish politicians to discuss the future of Speyside

Speaking to The Spirits Business, Laurent Lacassagne, CEO of Pernod Ricard’s whisky and gin arm Chivas Brothers, said that he recently met with Angus Robertson, Westminster Scottish National Party (SNP) leader and MP for the Moray constituency in Speyside, to discuss how the region could be developed in the future.

“We are working hard to develop the Speyside region – we have three visitors’ centres there and have already invested a lot of money in the area,” said Lacassagne. “We are also part of other key regional initiatives like the whisky trail.

“I said to Angus Robertson that we are very happy to contribute to the development of the region as we are interested in seeing Speyside become an even more attractive destination for visitors to Scotland.”

Chivas Brothers owns numerous distilleries in the Speyside region, including The Glenlivet Distillery and Strathisla Distillery, which produces the Chivas Regal blended whisky brand.

The revelation comes shortly after the Scottish National Party (SNP) claimed Robertson had also met with Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes to talk about the “strategic co-ordination and economic developments” for Speyside.

Diageo’s Cardhu, The Singleton, Knockando, Cragganmore and Glen Elgin Scotch whisky brands are produced in the Speyside region.

Politicians have also already met with senior managers at Edrington, who outlined their plans for a £100m development of their Macallan distillery in Speyside.

Such meetings with drinks industry chiefs follow round table discussions organised by Robertson in 2009 aimed at co-ordinating future plans for the industry, economic and transport development in the region and the promotion of Speyside and brands of Scotch whisky produced in Speyside.