Sir George Bull, Longtime Industry Leader, Dies At 88

Sir George Bull, a decades-long leader in the drinks industry and a key player in the formation of Diageo in the 1990s, passed away July 21 at the age of 88. After a long career with Gilbey’s and International Distillers & Vintners among others, Bull ascended to become chairman of Grand Metropolitan, a conglomerate that included both food and drinks interests, with brands such as Smirnoff and Baileys.

In 1997, Bull and Guinness chairman Sir Anthony Greener struck a deal to merge their respective companies, paving the way for the creation of Diageo. The new company was to become the largest player in the spirits business globally, a position it still holds today. Last year, more than a quarter-century after its formation, Diageo had worldwide spirits volume of 237 million 9-liter cases, according to Impact Databank, about 90 million cases ahead of second-ranked Pernod Ricard.—Daniel Marsteller

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