Birch brings more than 20 years of senior commercial leadership experience in the global drinks industry, and was most recently managing director of Bacardi Global Travel Retail and vice president of digital commerce at Bacardi Global.

The group operates across three divisions, Kirker Greer Spirits, Spiritly, and Drinksology Creative, offering brand creation, development, and commercial execution for its own portfolio and a roster of drinks businesses. 

Birch 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 at Drinksology Kirker Greer, added: "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.”

The DKG executive team consists of co-founders Steven Pattison and Richard Ryan, alongside Donal McAteer as chief financial officer and Ryan McFarland as chief commercial and strategy officer.