Jack Daniel's maker Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting to retire

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July 13, 2026 4:21 PM EDT

A Jack Daniel's logo is displayed in Lynchburg, Tennessee, U.S. February 3, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Wurm

July 13 (Reuters) - Brown-Forman CEO ‌and President Lawson ​Whiting ​has decided to retire, the company said on Monday, but did not provide a timeline for his departure.

Whiting will ‌continue in his role till a successor is appointed, ⁠the Jack Daniel's maker said.

Brown-Forman, along with other global spirits makers, is grappling with ‌a prolonged slowdown in alcohol ‌consumption that has weighed on demand for spirits, wine and beer.

Its board is set to begin a search for its next ​CEO that will consider internal as well as external candidates, the company said.

"While the news does not change the challenging near-term ⁠operating backdrop, we believe investors may view the succession process as an opportunity for Brown-Forman to ​pursue a more meaningful strategic reset aimed at improving growth, execution, and shareholder returns," Seamus Cassidy, analyst at ​TD Cowen, said.

"Investor preference may skew toward ‌an external hire who could bring a fresh perspective and potentially accelerate strategic change."

The Wall Street Journal ⁠was the first to report the news earlier on Monday.

Whiting, who became CEO in January 2019 after serving as chief operating officer, joined Brown-Forman in ⁠1997 in a corporate development role and has held a number of senior leadership ​positions, including overseeing global strategy for the Jack Daniel's brand.

The company in June warned of strained consumer spending behavior for the year even as it reported ‌better-than-expected quarterly sales on the back of steady demand for premium spirits.

Brown-Forman has explored strategic alternatives in ‌recent months, rejecting a $15 billion takeover offer from Sazerac in May and ⁠ending separate merger talks with ‌Pernod Ricard in April ​after the companies failed to agree on terms.

(Reporting by Sanskriti Shekhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid and ‌Pooja Desai)


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