Spirit of Speyside appointments to grow festival

Whisky festival The Spirit of Speyside has appointed three new directors from Diageo, The Macallan and Glenfiddich as it continues to grow the annual event.

Diageo’s Laura Sharp is one of three new directors to join the Spirit of Speyside board of directors

Joining the festival’s board of directors are Laura Sharp, brand home manager for Cardhu and Cragganmore distillery visitor centres, Robert Ince, general manager of The Macallan Estate, and Justin Livesey, Glenfiddich distillery visitor centre manager.

The three join the five existing directors on the panel in a voluntary capacity to make the festival “one of the best events of its kind anywhere in the world”.

James Campbell, Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival chairman, said: “We are honoured that professionals of such a high calibre have joined the board. They are all very busy in their day jobs, so we really do appreciate and value the time that they are going to commit to delivering the festival.

“The three new directors each have very different backgrounds, and we are very much looking forward to harnessing that knowledge to help grow and build the festival, and raise the bar even higher on the visitor experience.”

The 2015 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival will run from 30 April to 4 May. Tickets go on sale from 3 February at www.spiritofspeyside.com.