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2nd March 2023

The Independent Complaints Panel hires two new members

London, 1 March 2023: Today, the Independent Complaints Panel (Panel) which adjudicates on complaints under the Portman Group Codes of Practice – welcomes two new members – Hina Parmar and Phil Pick – further strengthening and enhancing the Panel’s expertise and diversity.

Members of the ten-person Panel can serve two terms of not more than six years in total, and recruitment is staggered to hire representatives with different experiences. This means that the Panel always seeks to have members with experience of public health, children’s services, licencing, and the law. The two new hires bring valuable marketing and industry experience to the table. With 82 applications, 12 shortlisted to make the final two, the robust recruitment process demonstrated the depth of understanding of the Code across the sector and the huge talented pool of professionals from which to draw.

All Panel members must declare any conflict of interest and recuse themselves in the event of a potential conflict with the agreement of the Chair.

Hina Parmar is a highly experienced legal counsel for consumer brands with extensive experience across the fields of law on intellectual property, marketing, food law and compliance. She currently serves as legal counsel to Mondelez International, a worldwide confectionery, food, beverage, and snack food company, responsible for messaging around packaging, content and placement. She has provided legal advice and support for Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, Selfridges Retail, and the Institute of Promotional Marketing.

Phil Pick has a wealth of UK and international consumer marketing experience, having worked for a range of alcohol and food businesses including Molson Coors, AB InBev, Scottish & Newcastle United Biscuits and Weetabix. His work with Stella Artois saw him become an award winner of the Media360: Advertiser of the Decade in 2013. Now taking a career break, Phil is currently a stay-at-home dad.

This follows the departure of Graeme McKenzie and Claire Fowler who have served on the Panel since 2017. The Chair thanks them for their service and wishes them well in their next endeavours.

Commenting on the new additions to the Panel, the Chair, Nicola Williams, said: “The appointment of two new Panel members is greatly welcomed, and will further enhance the Panel’s breadth and diversity of experience. I was delighted by the calibre of candidates across the recruitment making the choice incredibly difficult. Candidates showed a considerable depth of understanding of the Code demonstrating its welcome reach and use by the industry. I very much look forward to working with Hina and Phil. I would also like to thank Graeme and Claire for their dedicated service to the Panel.”

For more information about the Independent Complaints Panel, please visit the Portman Group’s website here.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Joseph Meaden

Mobile: 07709 525 971

Notes to editors

  1. A spokesperson is available for interviews upon request.
  2. The Portman Group was formed in 1989. It is the alcohol industry regulator and social responsibility body. It has over 160 Code signatories from producers, retailers and membership bodies.
  3. The Portman Group is funded by 17 member companies: Asahi UK Ltd; Aston Manor Cider; Bacardi; Brown-Forman; Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I; Campari; C&C; Diageo GB; Edrington UK; Heineken UK; Mark Anthony Brands International; Mast-Jäegermeister UK; Molson Coors Beverage Company; Pernod Ricard UK; SHS Drinks; Thatchers’; and Treasury Wine Estates.
  4. The Code of Practice for the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks was first published in 1996. In 2021, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Code. The Code seeks to ensure that alcohol is promoted in a socially responsible way, only to those aged 18 and over, and in a way that does not appeal particularly to those who are vulnerable. The Code has helped create an industry that works effectively within the context of a self-regulatory model, while encouraging design, innovation and creativity. This has been done in an effective, responsive and inexpensive way.
  • Effectively – over 170 products have been amended or removed from the market. Many hundreds more have been helped to adhere to the Code before appearing on shelves through the support of the Advisory Service;
  • Responsively – there have been five updates to the Code over 25 years responding to changes in public attitudes and expanding its reach; all without recourse to Government or Parliamentary time;
  • Inexpensively – the leading members of the industry are currently funding the model for all to be protected at no cost to the public purse.

Press release from Portman Group.

For more information contact:

Joseph Meaden

Mobile: 07709 525 971