LOUISVILLE, KY — Brown‑Forman Corporation announced today that Jim O’Malley, Senior Vice President and Director, Global Government Relations and Corporate Affairs, will retire from Brown‑Forman on December 31. Jim Perry, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Latin America Region, will succeed O’Malley as Senior Vice President and Director, Global Public Affairs, effective August 1, 2020.

O’Malley joined the company in 2008 as the first director of the company’s newly-formed corporate affairs department. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing Brown‑Forman’s global external activities related to social, community, economic, government, and environmental responsibility. He has served on the boards of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, and Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), as well as his board service with the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Jim O’Malley was instrumental in building key relationships for Brown‑Forman with industry associations and governments around the world,” said Matt Hamel, Brown‑Forman’s EVP and General Counsel. “He has been a passionate advocate for the company’s right to market and sell our products around the world, and at the same time actively promote responsible alcohol consumption. His work on fair taxation in the U.S., the U.K. and elsewhere and in ensuring a standard of identity for Tennessee Whiskey, to name just a few of his accomplishments, has positioned us well for the future and will have a lasting impact on Brown‑Forman and our industry."

Perry joined Brown‑Forman in 2000 as government relations manager, and was integral to identifying and executing key government policy changes that benefited the company. Since that time, he has led a number of Brown‑Forman’s regional businesses. Most recently, Perry served as Managing Director, Latin America Region, consisting of three areas: PUB (Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil), LAC (Latin America & Caribbean), and Mexico.

In his new role, Perry will strengthen relationships with key industry and government officials and trade organizations and build on the company’s excellent reputation. He will lead a team of talented public affairs professionals around the world.

“Given the breadth and depth of Jim Perry's commercial and government relations experience, he is well positioned to provide the next generation of public affairs leadership,” said Hamel.

Perry received a J.D. with honors from Michigan State University-Detroit College of Law, and his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan. He will continue to reside in Louisville.