Meet Ellie Deans, Haig Club & Bell’s Brand Manager

Meet Ellie Deans, Haig Club & Bell’s Brand Manager

29 Mar 2021

Ellie has been with Diageo since 2019 where she started her career on the Pimm’s team. She has since worked with Gordon’s, Tanqueray and now sits within our whisky team as Haig Club and Bell’s Brand Manager.

What has your Diageo experience been like since joining to your current role?

When I joined Diageo in 2019, I jumped straight into my career highlight of working at Wimbledon with the quintessentially British brand - Pimm’s. My colleague Lizzy True and myself brought Hollywood names to the Championship and refreshed the brand’s look and feel to move Pimm’s into a brighter, more modern era. I then moved into the Gin team to help launch Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon before heading over to Tanqueray and I have now landed as Brand Manager for Haig Club and Bell’s Whisky.

What do you love most about working at Diageo?

You are spoilt for choice when it comes to quality brands to work on! Beyond the diversity and spread of job role, the collaborative atmosphere at Diageo is also something I relish. Success is never achieved alone and there is a plethora of people willing to share their knowledge and expertise.

What is the most exciting part about your current role?

I love the variety my job gives me. I currently handle very different whisky brands in GB: Haig Club and Bell’s.

Bell’s is a well-loved British classic, which has had some challenges. However, it’s had an incredible turnaround and the brand has exciting plans for 2021!

Haig Club is a pioneering Scotch brand made in a ground-breaking sustainable distillery and in collaboration with Brand Partner, David Beckham. For Haig Club, the name of the game is disruption, turning whisky stereotypes on their head and constantly embedding ourselves in culture with a new generation of whisky drinkers – hence our innovative move into spirit drinks with Haig Club Mediterranean Orange.

The most recent innovation that you worked on is Haig Club Mediterranean Orange – tell us more!

At Diageo I have the opportunity to work with talented people across a number of vastly different brands. From overcoming challenges on Bell’s Whisky to launching Haig Club’s first ever Spirit Drink Mediterranean Orange alongside brand partner, David Beckham, there’s never a dull moment in dark spirits.

Haig Club Mediterranean Orange has been a long time in the making involving consumer research and tastings with our brand partner David Beckham to ensure the end liquid is perfect. Delivering a distinctive taste of the Mediterranean with its blend of fresh and juicy marmalade orange flavours, the liquid is infused with orange blossom extract and the signature scotch notes of Haig Club Clubman. What’s most exciting is research indicated that this Spirit Drink has huge appeal, so my challenge to readers is; if your usual tipple is a lighter spritz, give Haig Club Mediterranean Orange a go!

Join Us

Inspired? You''ll find career-enhancing challenges all across our business, all around the globe. People taking on memorable challenges and working with iconic brands.