Ex-Fielden boss Dave Smith joins Distil as CEO
Blackwoods Gin and Vodka owner Distil has hired former Diageo executive and CEO of English whisky brand Fielden, Dave Smith, to lead the company.
Smith will become CEO of UK-based Distil from 17 August after the retirement of executive chairman Don Goulding.
Goulding’s position will be split between Smith as full-time CEO and Phillip Naughton, who will be appointed as non-executive chairman on 14 August when Goulding retires.
Naughton brings experience within the financial services industry to Distil.
Smith’s career in the drinks industry spans more than 25 years, including five years at Fielden, as well as working for Diageo and the West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) in Barbados.
His appointment to Distil follows the sale of Fielden to brand development agency Glass Half Full in January this year, which is planning a rebrand of the English whisky.
Smith said: “I have been aware of Distil for many years and I’ve always been very impressed by their levels of innovation and the quality of their products. Their portfolio has wide consumer appeal and is positioned well for growth against the current trends around affordability.
“I’m very excited to build on the great platform that Don and the team have created and to take the business on the next stage of its journey.”
Smith was part of a rebrand and relocation of what was formerly known as The Oxford Artisan Distillery (Toad), which became Fielden Whisky in 2024. He helped the Oxford-based distillery secure a minority stake from Diageo’s Distill Ventures platform in 2022, but the funding was pulled after the investment arm was shuttered last year.
The founder of Toad is set to bring the distillery back to life at its original site in the city of Oxford in June 2027.
Prior to joining Fielden in 2020, Smith assisted in the launch of ready-to-drink (RTD) products at Diageo and helped build brands in export markets at WIRD.
Goulding is retiring from Distil to focus on existing family projects after 16 years at the company. He joined the board as a non-executive director in 2010 and later became chairman and then executive chairman.
During his time at Distil, Goulding led the creation of RedLeg Spiced Rum, which became one of the company’s flagship brands. He also guided the company through the Covid-19 pandemic and supported its strategic investment in Scotch whisky distillery Ardgowan, which opened last summer in Inverkip.
Goulding added: “David brings industry experience and a strong track record of building premium drinks brands, while Philip has already made an excellent contribution since joining the board earlier this year.
“I leave knowing the business has a talented team, a strong portfolio of brands and significant opportunities ahead. I wish everyone at Distil every success for the future.”
UK distribution switches to Fortitude
The appointments also come just two days after Distil gave its full UK distribution rights to Fortitude Drinks, ending its partnership with Global Brands from August 2026.
Fortitude’s parent company, ICB Drinks, recently launched a £10 million (US$13.5m) canning line, which will enable Distil to expedite the development of new products, including RTDs.
The two companies are also ‘exploring opportunities’ to work closely together on export markets, with a focus on Distil’s Blavod vodka, Blackwoods and RedLeg, brands that they believe have ‘significant untapped’ potential outside of the UK.
“As the market begins to recover following a prolonged period of industry-wide challenges, and with a strong strategic production and distribution partner now in place across the UK and export markets, this is the right time for me to step aside,” Goulding noted.
“The company is well positioned for its next phase of development.”
Distil recently upped its stake in Ardogwan to 10.5%. The site is also home to a new Blackwoods distillery and visitor experience, which opened this year.
Related news
Absolut: getting people talking about vodka again
