New CEO takes the reins at Glenmorangie & Ardbeg – Scotch Whisky News
New CEO takes the reins at Glenmorangie & Ardbeg amid record sales
— Caspar MacRae comes to the helm, as Thomas Moradpour assumes Dom Pérignon Presidency —
After five record-breaking years at the helm of The Glenmorangie Company, President and CEO Thomas Moradpour is moving on to take the lead at prestigious champagne brand Dom Pérignon, also part of LVMH. He will be succeeded in post by Caspar MacRae, currently Global Marketing and Business Development Director, from July 3.
The Company, which owns Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky and Ardbeg Islay single malt Scotch whisky, has thrived under Thomas’s leadership. Since he joined the Company in 2018, it has more than doubled profits, delivering unprecedented year-on-year growth each year. Despite global instability, Thomas has created a stronger, more sustainable business, championing innovation and successfully executing ambitious expansion plans. Ably supported by Caspar and the executive team he has:
- Launched Glenmorangie’s ground-breaking innovation Distillery;
- Overseen the expansion of Ardbeg Distillery;
- Doubled the Company’s bottling capacity;
- Transformed Glenmorangie’s boutique hotel and purchased a hotel near Ardbeg;
- Established the Company’s prestige strategy, including the record-breaking £16million sale of Ardbeg Cask No. 3
- Set the Company on course to become one of the best places to work in the UK, with a raft of life-friendly policies and a culture which fosters creativity and innovation.
Caspar, who has worked hand-in-hand with Thomas, is committed to continuing the Company’s upward trajectory, in line with its long-term vision for growth. With 20 years’ industry experience, he has already played an instrumental role in the Company’s success. As head of its marketing and commercial teams since 2018, Caspar has overseen the transformation of the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg brands, and the development of award-winning campaigns for both whiskies. And he has super-charged its e-commerce business which has grown seven-fold since 2020.
Jonas Tåhlin, President and CEO of the Spirits Division at Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits arm of LVMH, said: “Congratulations to Thomas for his achievements at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. Driving innovation and excellence, he has enabled the brands to flourish and grow, more than doubling their profits. I wish him success as he moves on within the LVMH family to Dom Pérignon. Caspar has already demonstrated his exceptional talent and leadership skills, and I have full confidence that the business will continue to thrive with him at the helm.”
Thomas said: “I’m very proud that since I joined The Company we have made it a more sustainable business, a greater place to work and the business is in even better shape. With Caspar’s leadership abilities and vision, I’m sure Glenmorangie and Ardbeg will raise the bar ever higher in the next chapter.”
Caspar said: “I have always dreamed of leading brands as renowned as Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, so I am thrilled to take the baton from Thomas. I look forward to working with the teams here in Scotland and around the world as we continue on our mission to ensure the success of our brands, our workforce and the communities around our Distilleries, long into the future.”
About Thomas Moradpour’s achievements:
- Opened Glenmorangie’s ground-breaking innovation Distillery, the Lighthouse, in 2021. This multi-million-pound facility promises to bring wondrous new tastes to single malt;
- Oversaw the expansion of Ardbeg. Including a new stillhouse, the expansion doubled the Distillery’s capacity when it opened in 2021;
- Built a new bottling line at the Company’s plant near Edinburgh. Operational from 2023, this has doubed the Company’s bottling capacity;
- Transformed Glenmorangie’s boutique hotel Glenmorangie House, in line with its wondrous brand positioning in 2021. The following year, the Company purchased a well-known hotel on Islay, giving the brand the opportunity to create a world-class whisky and hospitality experience;
- Established the Company’s prestige business, which offers rare limited editions to collectors, as well giving private buyers the chance to purchase single and rare casks. The private cask programme led to the record-breaking sale of Ardbeg Cask No. 3, which made headlines around the world when it sold to a private buyer for £16million.
- Set the Company on course to become one of the best places to work in the UK, with a raft of life-friendly policies and a culture which fosters creativity and innovation.
About Caspar MacRae’s achievements:
- Championed the Company’s e-commerce business, which has seen a seven fold increase in profitabilty since 2020, and launched a new e-commerce experience and CRM programme in 2022.
- Led the transformation of the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg brands, and developed award-winning brand platforms for both whiskies. Glenmorangie has delighted audiences with its technicolour campaign featuring photography from Miles Aldridge. Meanwhile, Ardbeg has leaned into its cult status and idiosyncratic personality with brand campaign ‘Planet Ardbeg’, developed in partnership with renowned graphic novel creators.Leading the marketing and commercial divisions of the business resulting in a more than doubling of profits since 2018.
About The Glenmorangie Company:
The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.
About Glenmorangie:
Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for more than 175 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.
Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s kind of delicious and wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to see themselves in Glenmorangie’s world.
About Ardbeg:
Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’. During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future, and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.
Responsible Drinking:
The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie and Ardbeg whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.
