Appoints Global Chief Marketing Officer
Rory
Finlay, Longtime Marketing Executive from
Wm Wrigley Jr. Company, to Lead Marketing
for Beam Global's Premium Spirits Portfolio
Deerfield, Ill., January
3, 2007 - Beam Global Spirits & Wine,
Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO)],
a brand-led premium spirits and super-premium
wine business, announced today the appointment
of Rory Finlay as senior vice president
and global chief marketing officer, effective
January 29, 2007.
Finlay will be responsible for overseeing
the development and implementation of
global marketing strategies for Beam Global's
leading spirits brands, including Jim
Beam® bourbon; Canadian Club®
Canadian whisky; Courvoisier® cognac;
Laphroaig® Scotch; Sauza® tequila;
Maker's Mark® bourbon and StarbucksT
Liqueurs.
Finlay brings to Beam Global Spirits &
Wine extensive experience in global consumer
marketing, brand building, strategy and
management. He joins Beam Global after
an 18-year career at Wm Wrigley, Jr. Company,
where he most recently served as vice
president and managing director, New Confectionery
Brands, leading the company's management
and marketing efforts for popular consumer
brands including Altoids® and Life
Savers®. He previously managed and
led the worldwide marketing of global
brands including Eclipse®, Extra®,
Doublemint® and Winterfresh®,
and was responsible for the launch of
several new products, including Orbit®,
Wrigley's biggest and fastest growing
brand. Finlay will serve as a member of
the Beam Global Executive Committee and
will report directly to president and
CEO, Tom Flocco.
"Rory Finlay is a proven builder
of leading consumer brands with an impressive
record of growing iconic brands in key
global markets and launching fast-growing
new products," said Tom Flocco, president
and CEO, Beam Global Spirits & Wine.
"With the expansion of our portfolio
of premium brands, Beam Global is on its
way to becoming a brand-led company. Rory
has extensive experience building brands
from idea through field execution. He
has driven several successful multi-brand
efforts on both global and national levels,
making him an excellent fit with our brand-led
strategy."
Finlay will also play a critical role
in supporting Beam Global's commitment
to be a leader in marketing its products
responsibly to legal purchase age adults,
as outlined in the company's Beam Global
Spirits & Wine Marketing Code of Good
Practice.
Finlay takes the helm from John Muller,
who has led the marketing function on
an interim basis for the past six months
while also serving as senior vice president,
strategy and corporate development. Muller
will continue his responsibilities as
senior vice president, strategy and corporate
development, working closely with the
company's business units to implement
its commercial priorities.
"We thank John for the steadfast
and exemplary leadership while serving
as our interim global chief marketing
officer. We owe him a debt of gratitude
for his tireless efforts directing the
positive momentum of our brand building
objectives while leading both the global
marketing function and enhancing Beam
Global's long-term business strategy,"
stated Flocco.
Finlay received a Master of Management
degree from J.L. Kellogg Graduate School
of Management in 1988 and a Bachelor of
Arts degree with Honors from the University
of Leeds, Leeds, UK in 1983.
About Beam Global Spirits & Wine
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is
the fourth largest premium spirits company
in the world. With nine of the world's
top-100 premium spirits in its portfolio,
the company's brands hold global and national
leadership positions in key categories,
including Jim Beam® bourbon; Canadian
Club® Canadian whisky; Courvoisier®
cognac; Laphroaig® Scotch; Sauza®
tequila; Larios® gin; Whisky DYC®;
Teacher's® Scotch; and DeKuyper®
cordials. The portfolio also includes
Maker's Mark® bourbon, Knob Creek®
bourbon and The Small Batch Bourbon Collection®,
and StarbucksT Liqueurs. Beam Wine Estates
is a top-five super-premium wine company
in the U.S., featuring Clos du Bois®,
the number two super-premium U.S. wine
brand, and the award-winning Geyser Peak®
wine. Beam Global Spirits & Wine,
Inc. is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO),
a leading consumer brands company with
annual sales exceeding $8 billion. For
more information on Beam Global Spirits
& Wine and the company's sales and
distribution partners, please visit www.beamglobal.com.
Altoids® mints, Life Savers® candy
and mints, Crème Savers® hard
candy, Juicy Fruit® gum, Eclipse®
gum, Extra® gum, Doublemint® gum,
Big Red® gum and Winterfresh®
gum are registered trademarks of Wm. Wrigley
Jr. Company.
Beam Global Spirits & Wine
Contact: Chris Swonger
202-962-0551
Chris.Swonger@beamglobal.com
(c) 2007 Beam Global Spirits & Wine,
Inc., Deerfield, IL.
