New head for Independent Liquor

Drinks company Independent Liquor has a new CEO in Doug McKay, following the December 2006 sale of the company to two private equity firms, CCMP and Pacific Equity Partners, for NZD 1.3 billion (EUR 706 million).

Mr McKay, who was CEO of New Zealand’s largest fishing company, Sealord, will join Independent Liquor in May. The company, which came on the bloc because of the sudden death of its founder and owner in a plane crash, has about 65 percent of New Zealand’s RTD market plus about 30 percent in Australia, it was reported.

Mr McKay is no newcomer to the beverage industry. Doug McKay has been Chief Executive of Sealord Group since October 2002. Before that he was Chief Operating Officer and Board Director of Sydney-based Goodman Fielder, Australasia’s largest food manufacturer. His career has also included senior positions internationally with Procter and Gamble and Lion Breweries (1990-1996), where he held a variety of senior positions including Managing Director of Lion Breweries and Managing Director for the international brewing business, including expansion into China.