The formation of North American Distillers aligns the company’s American whiskey portfolio with operating structures of Pernod’s Irish and Scotch whisky entities, Irish Distillers and Chivas Brothers.
Richard Black, a Pernod Ricard executive who most recently held the position of global managing director of Martell, has joined NADL as chief executive.
Black said, in a statement: "American whiskey is a dynamic spirits category, and our portfolio shows immense potential for future growth. Our investments made in Jefferson's, Rabbit Hole, Smooth Ambler, Skrewball and TX, underscore our ambitious commitment.
“My mission is to harness this potential and drive a singular focus on these brands and our operations, driving us towards our goals and creating a top-tier marketing and sustainable operations team on the back of our peoples’ deep-rooted expertise."
Pernod Ricard initially launched its American Whiskey portfolio as an independent arm within Pernod Ricard USA.
The formation of NADL will see the portfolio grown by a global brand company responsible for global marketing strategy, growth and production, including all Pernod Ricard American North America operations sites.
Joining Black at NADL to head up operations is Pierre Joncourt, current senior vice president of operations for Pernod Ricard North America, and on whiskey and marketing, Kaveh Zamanian, Bourbon Hall of Famer and Rabbit Hole Whiskey.
