Ex-Bacardi chief to be Diageo's new chairman

Javier Ferran becomes Diageo chairman at the start of next year. Picture: Contributed

Diageo, Scotland's biggest Scotch whisky producer, has announced a chairman-designate to succeed Franz Humer when he steps down next year.

Javier Ferran, a founder partner at Lion Capital private equity group since 2005, and before that with drinks giant Bacardi for a decade, latterly as chief executive, will become a non-executive director at Diageo on 22 July.

He will become chairman at the group, which employs some 4,000 people in Scotland, on 1 January 2017.