Compass Box Chairman Steps Down After 18 Years At Helm

Compass Box Whisky has announced that Chairman Dr. Alan Rutherford OBE will retire on March 31, 2025, after an illustrious tenure.
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(Left) Alan Rutherford OBE, outgoing chairman. (Right) Neil Everitt, incoming chairman designate. Credit: Compass Box

Compass Box Whisky has announced that Chairman Dr. Alan Rutherford OBE will retire on March 31, 2025, after an illustrious tenure at the scotch whisky maker spanning almost two decades.

Rutherford, whose career spans more than 50 years including his role as Production Director at United Distillers (now Diageo), has overseen a period of significant expansion and creative development at the compay since joining in 2007.

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Compass Box’s Leadership Transition

The company has simultaneously announced Neil Everitt as Chairman Designate. Everitt, founder of Brockmans Gin and former executive at Allied Domecq and Stock Spirits Group, will assume the chairman role on April 1, 2025.

Rutherford will continue to serve Compass Box in an advisory capacity after his retirement, ensuring continuity in the company’s strategic direction.

“Serving as Chairman of Compass Box has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my career,” says Rutherford. “The team’s dedication to creativity and craftsmanship is unparalleled, and I am confident the company’s best days are still ahead. I am honored to remain involved as an advisor and to watch Compass Box continue to push the boundaries of whiskymaking.”

Future Direction

Everitt brings extensive beverage industry experience to his new role at the London-based whisky maker. “I have long admired Compass Box for its bold approach to whiskymaking and its dedication to craftsmanship and creativity,” he said. “It is a privilege to follow in Alan’s footsteps and to work with such a talented team. I look forward to contributing to the company’s ongoing success and exploring new opportunities for growth.”

CEO Maurice Doyle praised Rutherford’s tenure while welcoming the incoming chairman: “Alan’s contributions to Compass Box cannot be overstated. His leadership has been a guiding light for the company, and we are deeply grateful for his years of service. At the same time, we are excited to welcome Neil to Compass Box. Together, we look forward to growing the business by making interesting, delicious whiskies for fellow whisky-lovers that are different from the many mainstream offerings in the market.”

About Compass Box 

Compass Box is a pioneering scotch whisky company founded in 2000 by John Glaser, a former marketing director at Johnnie Walker

It operates as an independent bottler and blender, sourcing whiskies from various Scottish distilleries to create innovative blended malts and grain whiskies. The company is known for challenging industry conventions through its transparent approach to ingredients and blending, often pushing boundaries by sharing detailed information about the components in their whiskies. 

The company has gained acclaim for expressions like Hedonism, Peat Monster, and Spice Tree, as well as for their advocacy for greater transparency in the scotch whisky industry.

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