'Its most significant period of growth': Northern Ireland spirits firm appoints former Bacardi executive to drive global expansion
Former Bacardi executive Mike Birch joins Drinksology Kirker Greer as it accelerates growth across more than 30 international markets
Drinksology Kirker Greer (DKG), the Belfast-based premium spirits business, has appointed Mike Birch as non-executive director, strengthening its board as the group accelerates its international growth strategy.
Birch brings more than 20 years of senior commercial leadership experience in the global drinks industry. He was most recently managing director of Bacardi Global Travel Retail and vice president, digital commerce at Bacardi Global, roles that place him at the forefront of channels central to DKG's growth agenda.
His experience spans premium brand building, global travel retail, and direct-to-consumer commerce, with a track record in scaling e-commerce ecosystems and developing strategic relationships with the world's leading travel retail operators including Dufry, Heinemann, and DFS.
The appointment reflects DKG's deliberate approach to building the governance, expertise, and strategic capability required to support a business building brands in more than 30 international markets. The group operates across three divisions, Kirker Greer Spirits, Spiritly, and Drinksology Creative, delivering brand creation, development, and commercial execution for both its own portfolio and an expanding roster of the world’s leading drinks businesses. Birch's appointment strengthens board-level oversight across all three.
Birch’s experience in global travel retail will further support DKG’s growing presence in the channel, while his digital commerce background strengthens Spiritly’s positioning as a full-service, end-to-end platform for brand owners seeking scalable access to UK and European consumer markets.
Mike Birch, non-executive director, Drinksology Kirker Greer, said: “DKG has built something genuinely differentiated, a platform that combines brand ownership, world-class creative capability, and direct consumer access under one roof.
"It is a compelling proposition in today’s drinks industry, and one I have seen very few businesses execute with this level of coherence. Spiritly in particular offers a strong solution for brand owners who understand where consumer commerce is heading but lack the infrastructure to get there. I look forward to supporting the group at board level as it enters what I believe will be its most significant period of growth.”
Ryan McFarland, chief commercial and strategy officer, Drinksology Kirker Greer, explained: "Mike's appointment is a statement of intent. He has operated at the highest level of the industry, leading global travel retail and digital commerce for one of the world's largest spirits companies, and his experience aligns directly with our strategic priorities. As we continue to grow our own portfolio, scale Spiritly, and deliver creative and commercial solutions for leading drinks brands, having Mike's counsel in our boardroom is genuinely valuable. This marks the beginning of an important new phase for the group.”
This appointment strengthens the DKG Executive Team, bringing together a senior leadership group within the drinks industry. The team consists of co-founders Steven Pattison and Richard Ryan, alongside Donal McAteer as chief financial officer and Ryan McFarland as chief commercial & strategy officer. Together, the team is executing a long-term growth strategy centred on international expansion and scaling the Spiritly platform.