PROUDLY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Diageo 's Commercial Sales Manager
Alan Cant is currently Diageo's commercial sales manager in Scotland. Pubs and bars have always been at the heart of communities across Scotland, but like so many things in life that we take for granted, lockdown has brought home just how much our locals really mean to us and how we have to support the needy of our trade who have fallen on hard times.
I have worked in the Licensed Trade for over 40 years, joining S&N in 1976 which became Heineken in 2008, and remained with the Company until 2014.
I held many Sales Roles within both S&N and Heineken covering many parts of Scotland and the North of England during 37 years, with the later being Regional Sales Director West.
I was self employed from 2014 until early 2020 and enjoyed working with the Colin Beattie Group for 3 of the aforementioned years.
It was during my time with S&N /Heineken that I spent 5 years as a Director of The Ben and really gained an insight into the great work that the Benevolent Society provides for those less fortunate within our Trade.
Job Titles:
- Regional Account Manager for Molson Coors Brewing Company
Ali Johnstone is currently Regional Account Manager for Molson Coors Brewing Company in Scotland primarily looking after the Belhaven Brewery account. Ali has worked in a variety of roles in the
Chris provides administrative support for the BEN beneficiaries, records of visits and payments together with organising the biggest events in the licensed trade.
Euan has worked in the licensed trade in Scotland since 1990 in various operational and project roles. Most notably Operations Director at Belhaven. Since then, he has owned and operated a number of bars, restaurants and a hotel. He currently is part of the senior team at The Signature Group and heads up the Cold Town Brewery at Scot Brew.
Euan also volunteers with Equip Mentoring, a program that delivers mentoring for young people aged 15-18 in Clackmannan through the Mentoring Matters program. He has also worked on a number of projects with Springboard to encourage people of all ages to consider the licensed trade as a career. Euan comments "The industry has been a great friend and motivator to me over many years. It has given me the opportunity to travel the world and meet some fascinating individuals. It has played a significant part in my development as an individual and it is now time for me to repay the debt. I look forward to making a positive contribution to peoples' lives through the Ben's charitable work
Fraser McIlwraith is a bars and drinks specialist with 24 years experience in hospitality. His rise from glass collector in Vodka Wodka Paisley to his current role as company director was developed by working for key companies such as Caledonian Heritable, Mark Warner, Hilton Hotels, Buzzworks Holdings, G1 Group and DRG.
From early on in his career, he was taught the importance of giving back. From on the job coaching and training, to charity work which benefits the communities around the workplace.
Fraser runs Dark Art Drinks a specialist liquor purchasing consultancy, Vodka Wodka Ashton Lane party bar, Glasgow Cocktail Collective cocktail delivery service, HOSPO recruitment a hospitality recruitment agency. Dark Art Drinks also produces and wholesales cocktails such as Panther Milk for
George Kyle, head of sponsorship for Magners has a great knowledge of the drinks and hospitality sector and has been involved in several schemes in which Magners have headed to assist the employees of our trade. The Magners Employability programme has now helped close to 40 participants gain employment in the hospitality sector or move into further education since it began n 2015
George is very much looking forward to continuing the work he has headed for Magners and integrate with the BEN in order to further the help that we can provide to those in need within our industry.
Fortunate to have enjoyed a career in the licensed trade for over 40 years ..
After leaving Catering College in 1970, my first job was as Assistant Manager at Scotch Corner Hotel Yorkshire. A year later I returned to Scotland to help manage The Gateway Restaurant in Stirling.
January 1976 saw me join Tennent Caledonian Brewers as a Catering Advisor within their Managed House Division. Over the next 31 years I worked in various positions ending up in Bass Lease prior to its sale and becoming Punch Taverns. I remained with Punch until I retired in December 2007
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Co - Owner of One Glasgow
Iain is co-owner of one Glasgow city's trendiest bars, The Metropolitan. He has a wealth of experience in the trade and has fresh and innovative ideas to help spread the word of the BEN.
Jason has been involved in the trade for over 25 years, and is currently the On Trade Sales Director for Heineken's business in Scotland.
After starting work with the Scottish Licensed Trade News in his early career , Jason moved to London with Sky resulting in him heading up the sales function of Sky business in the early 2000s. After a few years away from the trade to take a job pairing business leadership with one of his passions. skiing, Jason returned to Scotland 14 years ago and joined S & N which later became Heineken. Having been aware of the Ben for most of his working life and attending his first Ben dinner over 25 years ago, Jason is delighted to be in a position to help continue the great work done by our predecessors in promoting and supporting the work of the
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Trustee
Jenny has been extremely active in her role to spread the word and fundraise for the BEN. The Ardnamurchan Sales and Marketing team undertook a 180 mile, 11 day walk through some of
Scotland's most breath-taking (quite literally in this case!) locations, from their bottling warehouse in Fife to the Ardnamurchan Distillery in the Western Highlands.
Jenny is an active member of the board and is keen to organize further fundraising events in order to
assist the people of the drinks and hospitality industry in Scotland who have fallen on hard times.
I have been lucky to have a career in sales spanning 47 years, with the last 30 in the drinks industry. Joining the drinks industry is one of the best things I have ever done, as I love every thing about it. During this time I have represented some of the most global spirits brands and have always been committed to putting something back into an industry that has been so good to me and my family. Having become a director in 1998 and then president in 2004, the Benevolent Society is near to my heart. My relationship continues as I am proud to be one of the current ambassadors."
I am John Cameron and I started my 56 year journey in the trade when I joined Scottish Newcastle as a stock taker 1966.
After a number of years travelling all over Scotland with S&N I set up my own stock-taking and Consultancy business working with a number of publicans setting up controls and improving their business models.
In 1996 I started a small pub group called Best Cellars (Scotland) Ltd with a good friend of mine and I still help out with running the company.
I have had the pleasure of working with some of the greats in the trade over the last five decades and have seen a lot of changes, some have had a positive impact but others have been detrimental.
Mike has 17 years experience in the drinks industry, 7 with Scottish & Newcastle/Heineken and a further 10 with Pernod Ricard UK, working in a range of marketing, category and commercial roles.
His most recent role is that of Regional Business Manager in Scotland, Tyne Tees and Yorkshire, where he looks after the Field Sales team in both the on and off trade market. This is his second year with the Ben and an important one given these uncertain Covid 19 times, which are presenting us all
with huge challenges. This is a great industry to be involved in, he is thankful for all experiences here, but it needs real support at this time and he is very keen to be able to give something back.
Paul has been working in the hospitality industry for 26 years. After graduating with a BA in Communication he took a stop gap part time role as a barman, waiter and KP. The buzz and energy of the industry struck a chord and he has never looked back since.
Sandra Millar has worked in and around the licensed trade for nearly 40 years; through her late husband Gordon's role with Guinness, as a publican and finally through her ambassador role with the Ben which she had held for the last 12 years.
Sandra is responsible for keeping in touch with beneficiaries in the Lothian and Borders area, where she provides support, assesses their financial needs and recommends packages of assistance including pensions and one-off grants
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Licensing Solicitor at TLT LLP
Stephen McGowan is a licensing solicitor at TLT LLP and represents a large number of licensed businesses across Scotland. He joined the board of the Ben in 2015 and is a Past President, having
Steve has worked in the drinks industry for over 20 years. Following University he worked on the & "other side"; of the bar before taking his first sales role in the industry with Anheuser-Busch as a
Territory Sales Manager covering the North of Scotland. He moved to Tennent's in 2007 as a Key Account Manager progressing through the ranks to Sales Director for the on-trade. In 2011, with C & C Group's acquisition of Tennent Caledonian Breweries he was appointed Commercial Manager Director and, after a period of 18 months, was appointed Head of on-trade
sales, UK, for sister brand Magners. In 2015 he left to start up his own drinks consultancy business, Glasshouse Drinks Ltd. Steve joined Inverarity Morton in March 2017 as Sales Director.