Drinksology Kirker Greer appoints former Molson Coors Growth and Innovation Director
Belfast-headquartered premium drinks company, Drinksology Kirker Greer (DKG), has appointed Ryan McFarland as its Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer.
In the new role, McFarland will be serving as an Executive Board Member and shaping the business by implementing both brand and geographic expansion strategies in addition to building a world-class team to execute against them at pace.
His career combines a track record of building luxury and premium spirits brands with the development of strategic commercial growth initiatives within the global Alco-Bev sector, most recently as Growth and Innovation Director EMEA & APAC at Molson Coors Beverage Company, having previously served on the Western European Executive team. Ryan’s experience also includes multiple commercial and brand building positions Remy-Cointreau and Bacardi Martini and Brown-Forman.
Steven Pattison, CEO of DKG said: “The business is readying itself for growth, we are investing to make that happen and Ryan’s experience to date suits us perfectly to support this next stage. Having spent over 20 years in the industry, he has gained a great reputation for building high-performing teams and strong customer relationships. He will use this experience to help develop and execute our growth strategies for not only the business but our brands too.”
Ryan McFarland said: “Coming from Northern Ireland myself, it has always been my ambition to take a Belfast-based business to scale globally and I believe DKG has a portfolio of exceptional brands to do this, backed with a solid innovation pipeline, passionate people and a world of untapped opportunity. I am starting to develop a clear strategic direction for the brands on a global scale, with an immediate focus on the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.”
Drinksology Kirker Greer (DKG)’s divisions include Kirker Greer Spirits: which owns, manages, and distributes a range of premium spirit brands internationally. Its portfolio includes brands such as Ukiyo Japanese Spirits, Kirker Shamrock Whiskey, Ginato Italian Gin and Jawbox Irish Gin.
The second division of DKG, Drinksology Creative, is a design, branding, and marketing agency which specialises in the world of alcohol and has worked with brand homes including The Dead Rabbit, New York, The Johnnie Walker Experience, Edinburgh and Roe & Co Distillery, Dublin.
