William Grant & Sons CEO Soren Hagh Departs After Two-Year Tenure
November 5, 2025William Grant & Sons is on the hunt for a new chief executive, with the company confirming in a U.K. Companies House filing that Soren Hagh has departed. Meanwhile, William Grant has appointed Nestle veteran Grant McKenzie as chief network distribution officer and board member effective November 13.
Hagh joined William Grant on January 1 of last year from Heineken, where he spent the previous decade, succeeding Glenn Gordon. William Grant declined to comment on Hagh’s departure.
McKenzie, who will oversee all of William Grant’s owned distribution markets globally, previously led the 3,000-employee Nestle waters and premium beverages business across eight European markets, including brands like Perrier, S. Pellegrino, and Acqua Panna.
In July, William Grant posted sales down 6.5% to £1.8 billion ($2.4b) for the 12 months through last December, as profit before tax registered £388 million ($518m) on a 30% decline from the prior year. The Scotland-based company said the year was “marked by industry-wide challenges,” adding that the profit decrease was attributable both to the tough conditions as well as its continuing investment behind its brands.
According to Impact Databank, William Grant & Sons had U.S. volume of 3.4 million cases last year. SND recently caught up with William Grant USA president and managing director James Casey and CMO Vérane de Marffy for an update on the company’s Scotch whisky business.—Daniel Marsteller
| William Grant & Sons—Leading Brands in the U.S. | ||||||
| Brand | Type | Total 2024 U.S. Volume1 |
Control States Volume Growth 2025 YTD2 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milagro | Tequila | 811 | -8.4% | |||
| Hendrick’s | Gin | 615 | 1.5% | |||
| Sailor Jerry | Rum | 501 | -9.5% | |||
| Tullamore Dew | Irish Whiskey | 326 | -10.6% | |||
| Clan MacGregor | Blended Scotch | 256 | -6.4% | |||
| Reyka | Vodka | 231 | 5.4% | |||
| Glenfiddich | Single Malt Scotch | 191 | -1.7% | |||
| Famous Grouse3 | Blended Scotch | 108 | -13.5% | |||
| Monkey Shoulder | Blended Malt Scotch | 101 | -11.6% | |||
| Balvenie | Single Malt Scotch | 100 | -5.2% | |||
| Grant’s | Blended Scotch | 84 | 8.1% | |||
| Total William Grant & Sons USA4 | 3,416 | -5.7% | ||||
| 1 Thousands of 9-liter case depletions. 2 Year-to-date September. 3 Acquired from Edrington in 2025. 4 Includes Famous Grouse and Naked Malt. Source: NABCA and IMPACT DATABANK © 2025 |
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