Douglas Laing appoints new CEO
Independent whisky bottler and blender Douglas Laing has appointed Chris Leggat to the position of CEO, as company owner Fred Laing moves into the role of chairman.
The news comes as the firm released its 2017 financial results, which reported a 40% increase in operating profits to £2.4 million (US$3.21m).
Glasgow-based Douglas Laing said it has experienced double-digit growth year-on-year since 2014 and has seen its whisky sales grow to 70,000 nine-litre cases. Its products are now available in almost 60 countries.
Fred Laing said: “As we continue to build and establish Douglas Laing as a key player within the whisky industry, I am delighted to appoint Chris as CEO.
“Last year’s numbers are history and become the new benchmark for further growth. We are currently recruiting for six new key roles across sales and marketing, as well as a number of internal promotions, so we believe the future is certainly looking bright for our family company.”
Leggat said the business will “invest heavily” in its whisky stocks, as well as its employees and global customer base.
“We have laid a solid foundation to allow the business to grow ahead of the industry curve, planning out for both the short and longer term,” added Leggat. “It’s a high energy, creative environment at Douglas Laing and we’ll maintain those values through the next chapter.”
Douglas Laing is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, and has already released two whiskies to mark the occasion: XOP Platinum and Scallywag 10 Years Old.
