Persson to replace Downing at Grant's—UPDATE

Print Article E-Mail Article

Ylva Persson leaves Bacardi for William Grant as a replacement for duty-free director Bob Downing

Bacardi Global Brands marketing director travel-retail Ylva Persson has left the company to join William Grant & Sons, where she has replaced retiring global travel-retail director Bob Downing. Downing recently left Grant's after 16 years with the whisky supplier.

William Grant & Sons group commercial director Simon MacDonald said: "We are delighted with the appointment of Ylva Persson to this critical role. She brings with her a great mix of skills, with long-term vision and proven strategy implementation. I am confident she will help to develop our portfolio of brands in the dynamic travel-retail sector and successfully grow brand equity."

He added: "Bob Downing has been a tremendous asset to the business and helped grow our brands to their leading position in travel-retail. He leaves the company with our thanks and best wishes for an enjoyable retirement."

Persson's move is part of significant changes at Bacardi, which in January formed a new travel-retail division headed by Maurice Doyle (RavenFox.com January 16). Commenting on Persson's departure, Doyle said: "Ylva is a lovely person and has made an important contribution to our business in the six-and-a-half years she has worked for the company, initially on Bombay Sapphire and then in travel-retail.  The Bacardi team wishes her well in the future.

"As a company, Bacardi is now giving the travel-retail channel greater focus, as we understand its pivotal roll as a shop window for our premium and super-premium brands and, more than ever, it is a growing revenue stream for our business.  As such, we recently created a stand-alone business unit to maximise the opportunities in the channel."

Persson helped create much of Bacardi's eye-catching airport marketing initiatives in recent years, including ambitious campaigns behind gin brand Bombay Sapphire. She was also instrumental in the redesign of whisky brand Dewar's.