LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE: BFA)(NYSE: BFB) announced today that Andrew Wilby, vice president and area director of Brown-Forman Northern Europe, has informed the company he will retire at the end of January 2018.

Wilby began working at Brown-Forman in 2000 as vice president, managing director for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Under his leadership, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey volume in the U.K. has nearly tripled; it is now the #1 selling whiskey in the United Kingdom.

Wilby’s Brown-Forman career has been marked by brand and business innovation, including the introduction of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel (2006), Jack Daniel’s & Cola (2009), Gentleman Jack (2010), Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey (2012), Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire (2015), and most recently, Lynchburg Lemonade and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cider (2017).

In 2015, under Wilby’s leadership, the U.K. team launched an on-line store for Jack Daniel’s, recognized at the 2016 E-Commerce Awards as the Best Grocery e-Commerce site. Wilby has championed Chambord, the black raspberry liqueur, which has reached nearly 50,000 cases and is the fastest growing traditional liqueur in the U.K.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have worked for so much of my career with fantastic people and great brands. I have thoroughly enjoyed my 17 years with Brown-Forman and I am grateful for the trust and confidence the company and the Brown family have always shown in me,” said Wilby. “I feel particularly privileged to have worked with such an enthusiastic and talented team in London. It has been a real pleasure to see individuals in that team develop and grow their careers. I hope I am leaving a little bit of the business in better shape than when I started and I am sure it will continue to go from strength to strength.”

“I have had the pleasure of working with Andrew since his first day at Brown-Forman more than 17 years ago. I have always admired his commercial acumen, his deep understanding of the business, and his joyful personality,” said Thomas Hinrichs, president, Brown-Forman, Europe and Asia. “We are thankful for his years of service in helping to build Brown-Forman’s great brands. I’m pleased Andrew has agreed to remain in his role until January to enable a smooth transition in leadership.”

Wilby serves on the board of directors of Edward Dillon, Brown-Forman’s joint distribution venture in Ireland, and is a member of Brown-Forman’s European Leadership Team.

For nearly 150 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Canadian Mist, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Early Times, Chambord, BenRiach, GlenDronach and Slane. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by 4,700 employees and sold in more than 160 countries worldwide.

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Source: Brown-Forman Corporation