THE European head of drinks giant Diageo said Northern Ireland is becoming an "increasingly pivotal cog" in the company wheel.
John Kennedy, president of Diageo Europe, was in Belfast yesterday to rub-stamp the Guinness and Smirnoff-maker's regional corporate headquarters from Boucher Road into newly-refurbished city centre offices.
The Upper Queen Street base will host its local sales and marketing teams as well as all of Diageo's customer services and credit management team for the island of Ireland, which has led to the creation of 55 new jobs.
In total, more than 100 people will be based in Capital House.
And it brings Diageo's total payroll in the north - where it also makes three-quarters of all Bailey's sold worldwide at Mallusk and operates a bottling, canning and packaging plant in east Belfast - to 320.
"I've been running the company's western European operations for three years now, and I cannot under-estimate the key role Northern Ireland plays in all we do," Kennedy said.
"This is a new chapter in the ongoing partnership between Diageo and Northern Ireland, and this new base - which is a massive upgrade from Boucher Road - already feels like home and has had a massive impact on the mood and culture of the company.
“Through our employment and production, we are proud of our long-standing history and partnerships throughout Northern Ireland and are committed to supporting economic growth through hospitality, increased tourism and job creation," he said, confirming that Diageo was to renew its £100,000 two-year investment in backing the work of Visit Belfast.
Mr Kennedy - who is widely tipped within the organisation to be a future global head - added: “There are now signs of a sustainable recovery here, with statistics from Hospitality Ulster predicting that the industry in Northern Ireland has the potential to create 5,000 new jobs in the next 10 years.
"This upturn is reflected in the growth of the night-time economy throughout Northern Ireland, and we are committed to supporting this growth through investment in our brands, in the wider economy and community and with our strategic partners.”
Trade Minister Jonathan Bell heralded Diageo as one of Northern Ireland's foremost exporters in the drinks sector and said its three local sites provided "valuable employment and job opportunities".
He said: "The relocation of their corporate headquarters to Capital House in the heart of the city centre demonstrates their continued investment in both the city and Northern Ireland, where the tourism and hospitality industry has never been in a stronger position.
"The commitment of Diageo to increased tourism and job creation plays an important part in the continued growth of the industry and our economic prosperity," Mr Bell said.
