Alex Lawrence Milia has been promoted to managing director of Mr Lyan group and is now co-owner of the company’s venues.

Hatch Mansfield managing director Patrick McGrath MW is stepping up to the newly created role of chairman.

Bacardi has appointed Simon Owen as its new managing director for Australia and New Zealand which will be effective from April 1.

Distell, South Africa’s leading wine and spirits producer, has reported a 15% growth in revenue for the year to June 2012 and a 9.9% increase in sales volumes across its portfolio of wines, spirits and RTDs in both domestic and international markets.

Bacardi Global Travel Retail has appointed Mike Birch to the role of managing director.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Assoication (WSTA) has announced that Nick Hyde, managing director of Diageo Wines Europe, is its new chairman.

Cert Octavian Plc, the UK’s leading logistics and specialist wine cellarage business, has announced that Vincent O’Brien is managing director with immediate effect.

The importance of the so-called emerging markets such as those in China, India, was underlined by the Pernod Ricard management  team in individual briefings in London today (Tuesday September 6), following the announcement of the group’s annual results last week.

Indian distributor Radico Khaitan is to launch Japanese whiskies the Yamazaki 12 year old and Hibiki 17 year old in India.

The Glenglassaugh Distillery Company has launched a range of “Spirit Drink” products. The aim is to give malt whisky fans the opportunity to sample the evolution of the spirit that will eventually become whisky.