Brown-Forman CEO To Retire

Brown-Forman Corporation today announced Lawson Whiting has decided to retire from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective upon the appointment of a successor. The Brown-Forman Board of Directors has initiated a search pursuant to its succession process that will consider internal and external candidates. The process will be led by the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, which is chaired by Tracy Skeans. Whiting will remain available to serve in an advisory capacity for a period of time following the appointment of a successor to ensure business continuity and support a smooth handover.

“On behalf of the Board and the Brown family, I want to thank Lawson for his nearly 30 years of dedication to Brown-Forman,” said Marshall B. Farrer, Chairman of Brown-Forman. “Lawson has been a steadfast steward of founder George Garvin Brown’s vision – leading this company through an era of macro challenges and change with a clear and consistent vision for building the most premium portfolio in the industry and ensuring there was ‘Nothing Better in the Market.’ Under Lawson’s leadership, Jack Daniel’s extended its presence into new international markets and categories, Woodford Reserve grew into the world’s leading super-premium American whiskey, and our founding brand, Old Forester, tripled in volume and increased net sales six-fold over the last decade. Today, Brown-Forman’s portfolio is one of the most respected in the global spirits industry. The Board is deeply grateful for his leadership and his commitment to the people and brands of Brown-Forman.”

Whiting first went to work at Brown-Forman in 1997 and joined executive leadership in 2013, so he is very much a Brown-Forman man. He became the CEO in 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Miami University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Whiting is 57 years old.

Although Farrer’s description reflects the whole of Lawson’s career at Brown-Forman accurately, the post-Pandemic years–which constitute most of his tenure as CEO–saw Jim Beam overtake Jack Daniel’s as America’s top-selling whiskey brand and the second-best seller worldwide. The last major news of Whiting’s term was the failed attempt to negotiate a merger with Pernod-Ricard.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead Brown-Forman,” said Lawson Whiting, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brown-Forman. “From my earliest days with the company to my time as CEO, my tenure has been defined by the extraordinary people I have worked alongside. We are entering this transition from a position of strength. Brown-Forman has principled leadership, a foundation of iconic brands, and a global team with immense depth and talent. I have every confidence that the succession process will surface the right leader for Brown-Forman’s next generation of growth, and I look forward to supporting a seamless handoff that ensures our momentum never wavers.”