Maurice Doyle is set to leave self-styled scotch ‘whiskymaker’ Compass Box this week after almost three years at the helm.
The executive, whose career in alcohol dates back to 1992 when he started as global travel retail MD at Bacardi, announced his intention to “step away from the business” in a LinkedIn post today (24 February). More specific details behind the move, including who will replace Doyle (below), were not immediately available.
“Recent years have been very challenging for the spirits industry,” Doyle said in the post. “However, whilst there is always more to deliver, I am beyond proud of what we have achieved together on Compass Box over the past three years.” He added that his departure will take effect at “the end of this month”.
Last year, UK-based Compass Box right-sized its core portfolio, from seven brands to four. Speaking to Global Drinks Intel at the time, Doyle said: “For a brand our size, it’s very difficult to ask for all seven expressions to be listed consistently, whereas with four we can. In a market like the US, we would typically have three or four SKUs listed in our retail partners, but they were never the same ones.
“Now we can have the core range merchandised in the same place, in the same way, and we can build up that consistency.”
