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James Pennefather will succeed co-founder Nigel Mills as chief executive of The Lakes Distillery, effective 1 July 2023. Mills has led The Lakes since 2012, co-founding the company with Paul Currie. He will move to a new role as The Lakes' non-executive board director. Most recently, Pennefather held the position of regional managing director of Africa, the Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent for William Grant & Sons. Before joining William Grant & Sons in 2014, Pennefather boasts a 14-year tenure at Diageo, during which he held various leadership positions. Pennefather said: "I’ve worked in the premium spirits industry for more than 20 years, both in the UK and abroad, and it was clear to me that The Lakes has the potential to become one of the great luxury international spirits brands". He continued: "The next phase of growth requires us to establish The Lakes as an aspirational brand in international markets. It will bring new challenges, but what I can confidently say is that the whisky being made at The Lakes is perfectly placed to succeed on a global stage where opportunity abounds and having an obsession for flavour is paramount." Tim Farazmand, The Lakes chairman, commented: "Together with Paul and the team, Nigel has built The Lakes Distillery from the ground up and helped to inspire the regeneration of the English whisky industry. The journey the business has been on is quite remarkable, and Nigel has not only ensured we have firm foundations from which to build but will also continue to support both James and the whole team in his new role as a non-executive board director."