Diageo’s global cocktailian moves to Bacardi

Spirits giant Bacardi has appointed Lauren Mote, Diageo’s former global cocktailian, as the global manager of programme excellence for Patrón Tequila.

Mote has worked in the drinks industry for more than two decades in Toronto, Vancouver and Amsterdam as a bartender, sommelier and consultant.

Her new role at Patrón is focused on the on-trade.

“I am so thrilled to be joining the Bacardi family, a team of passionate individuals who deeply care about each other, their work, their journey and their impact – true collaboration,” she wrote in a Linkedin post last week.

“It is an honour to continue to work at the service of bartenders and to develop programmes for the group of individuals I care about so deeply. We are determined to continue to create space and programming to be available for every bartender at any level, anywhere in the world.”

From June 2017 to December 2021, Mote served as Diageo’s first global cocktailian, a consultant role with an emphasis on bartender education and brand programming.

In 2012, she co-founded the cocktail bitters brand Bittered Sling with chef Jonathan Chovancek. Mote also won the Canadian final of the Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year competition in 2015.

“I am more energised than ever to jump right in to work with one of the world’s most dynamic and inspiring brands in my absolute favourite spirit category. I look forward to sharing a Patrón Margarita or Paloma with you on the road very soon,” Mote concluded.

Last month, Patrón teamed up with Formula One racing driver Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez for a marketing campaign.

According to The Spirits Business‘ 2021 Brand Champions report, Patrón is the second-best-selling Tequila in the world, posting sales of 3.1 million nine-litre cases in 2020.