The Scotch Whisky Association has returned to the UK civil service for its next international director.
The trade organisation said earlier today that Ian Duddy will assume the position at a “crucial time”. Duddy (below) replaces Ian McKendrick as international director, with the former lead negotiator for international agreements at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office governmental department stepping down after just over six years.
Duddy’s background also includes time with the FCO; during his 22-year tenure, he was an EU policy officer before rising to become – among other roles – the British Ambassador to Uruguay and to Chile. He left the department in 2022 to assume the chair at the Scottish Human Rights Commission for a year before spending the last three years as CEO of the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry.
His responsibilities will be to “lead the association’s international engagement, support the global growth of scotch by improving market access and strengthen relationships around the world”.
SWA chief executive Mark Kent added: “We’re very pleased to welcome Ian to the Scotch Whisky Association at a crucial time for our industry. Ian’s expertise in diplomacy, foreign affairs and trade policy will be invaluable as the Scotch Whisky sector navigates an increasingly volatile global environment, with producers also facing additional cost pressures at home.”
According to figures released by the SWA in January, exports of scotch whisky in 2025 were essentially flat in value terms on a 4.3% fall in volumes over the 12 months. The organisation put the performance down to “the impact of international tariffs, increased cost of doing business in the UK and softening consumer demand [which] have hit producers and the supply chain”.
