On August 1 Hodges will become global marketing and business development director GTR, based in Singapore. He will report to Peter Sant, managing director GTR. With immediate effect, Roffe has been appointed GTR director for the company’s EMEA region based in Paris and will also report to Sant. Roffe has operated in sales positions for Guinness and Diageo’s GTR division. Laura Lagière has also joined…

The company has installed a luxury bar in British Airways’ club lounge in Heathrow’s Terminal 5 (T5), manned at times by three top bartenders. Barrie Wilson (Tanqueray 10 Europe brand ambassador), Erik Lorincz (winner of Diageo’s World Class 2010 bartender of the year and head bartender at the Savoy Hotel in London) and Mario Navarra (Zacapa rum’s Europe brand ambassador). The bar showcases and serves…

The activation is described as a “trinity partnership” between Diageo GTME, Schiphol Airport Retail and Schiphol Media. It is the first major “trinity” activation at Schiphol – Europe’s 5th busiest international airport (ACI), with traffic of almost 45 million (2011). The campaign features adverts, media mast branding, videos, an F1 car in the liquor shop, photo opportunities with cardboard cut-outs of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson…

MMXI is described as the “super premium” addition to the range and has been limited in its release to 1,824 bottles. “High profile” locations such as the Tasa Meng store in Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, Sky Connection in Hong Kong and Lotte in Seoul Incheon have been selected for the launch. The 48.2% expression, has undergone ageing in sherry oak casks, some of which were…

According to Absolut, the 75cl, 40% abv Orient Apple “merges the crisp sweetness of fresh apples with the deep spicy aroma of ginger”. It  is “naturally sweet and pleasantly fruity”, according to the brand,  and comprises “quality natural ingredients, no added sugar or artificial flavour enhancers”. The bottle design features a ‘carved golden apple’ surrounded by ‘ginger leaves’. According to Absolut, when the bottle is…

Vinay Golikeri, currently the global marketing manager – whiskies at Bacardi Global Brands, has been appointed marketing director for Bacardi Global Travel Retail, effective June 1. From July 1, Aude Rocourt will be the new travel retail regional director for north and south Europe, with Paul Francis, currently marketing director for Bacardi Japan, succeeding her in the role of travel retail regional director for Asia…

Plessis has been named Brown-Forman Duty Free territory manager for the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. He will be responsible for the Brown-Forman travel retail portfolio and will report to Monte Wilson, director Americas Duty Free. He will be based in Miami, Florida. Leslie has been appointed finance manager for the company’s Global Travel Retail division, based in Louisville, Kentucky, and will report to Jim Perry,…