William Grant & Sons’ former head of communications is joining Heineken and has spoken about the need to develop a corporate culture based on listening and treating staff well.
Alan Harris announced his departure from the Glenfiddich and Famous Grouse distiller just before news broke that Grant’s CEO Søren Hagh had left the company without explanation.
See update 7 Nov: Grant confirms Hagh exit and dual leaders
Harris said he had enjoyed an “incredible two years,” at the company. He is now moving to the Dutch beer group as UK head of Internal Communications, based in its new Edinburgh offices overlooking St Andrew Square.
He said: “Over the years I’ve learnt that culture is built from the inside out. It’s how people show up every day, how they lead, listen and treat each other. When that’s done well, performance and reputation follow.
“Heineken started as a family brewery in Amsterdam, and that heritage still shapes how the company thinks about people, purpose and growth today.”
The brewer’s offices were purpose-built in 2017 as the head office of Standard Life Aberdeen, later Abrdn and now Aberdeen Group, but it relocated two years ago to the firm’s historic base in George Street.
In 2008, Heineken and Danish giant Carlsberg, paid £7.8 billiion to acquire Scottish & Newcastle, once one of the biggest brewing companies in Europe. The deal contributed to the demise of Edinburgh brewing as S&N’s breweries, including the historic Caledonian Brewery, subsequently closed.
Hagh left William Grant just days after an interview appeared in which he spelled out his plans for the company.
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