Edrington’s appointment of Paul Ross as Chief Operating Officer for India is a clear signal that the company sees India not just as a volume market but as a long-term premium growth engine. With India now established as the world’s largest Scotch whisky market by volume, the focus is shifting from distribution-led expansion to brand-led value creation, especially in single malts.
Bringing in a 30+ year Edrington veteran reflects a deliberate strategy. Rather than importing a short-term market operator, Edrington is deploying deep institutional knowledge to build a durable, premium-first business in a complex, regulation-heavy market. Ross’s experience across Asia Pacific, the UK, and the Americas positions him to balance global brand stewardship with local execution realities.
For brands like The Macallan and Highland Park, this leadership move is timely. India’s premium spirits consumer is evolving rapidly driven by rising affluence, exposure to global drinking culture, travel retail influence, and a younger cohort seeking authenticity, craftsmanship, and storytelling, not just status labels. Scaling in this environment requires disciplined pricing, controlled availability, elevated retail experiences, and strong partnerships not just wider reach.
Strategically, Edrington’s India play mirrors a broader industry shift. As mass-market whisky growth plateaus in mature regions, premiumisation in emerging markets is becoming the primary value driver. India offers a rare combination of scale and uptrading potential, but success depends on patient brand-building and local leadership continuity, rather than aggressive short-term volume pushes.
Ross’s emphasis on being “on the ground” also matters. India’s spirits ecosystem—from state policies to route-to-market structures demands hands-on leadership and close collaboration with partners like BBM and Raja Bommidala. This localised approach reduces execution risk while strengthening long-term trust across channels, including travel retail.
From a wider lens, the appointment underlines how global alcobev players are rethinking India. The opportunity is no longer about being present it’s about owning the premium narrative early as consumer tastes mature.
Overall, Edrington’s move is less about a leadership change and more about locking in the next decade of premium Scotch growth in a market that is just getting started.
