Tuesday March 17th 2026
New managing director, Giancarlo Bianchi
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
The Borders Distillery in Hawick can raise a dram to a bright international future after appointing a new managing director.
Giancarlo Bianchi is to take up the role from April 1.
He holds more than 15 years of experience in commercial and strategic leadership, including tenures as executive director of sales and marketing at Welsh distillery Penderyn, and as sales director for Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh.
At Penderyn, where he spent 12 years, he moved up the ladder from operational and technical management into senior commercial leadership, developing international growth strategies, opening new export markets and delivering sustained revenue expansion.
Giancarlo said: “It’s a privilege to be joining The Borders Distillery at such an exciting time in its journey. The business already has strong foundations, from production capability to brand authenticity, and there’s significant potential for growth both in the UK and internationally.
“I’m looking forward to working with the team to build on that platform, strengthen our presence in key markets and drive the brand in a sustainable way, ensuring that whisky production becomes a landmark industry in this ancient and historic region.”
The Borders Distillery – the first to operate in the Scottish Borders since 1837 when it officially opened in May 2018 – is aiming to expand in both the UK and international markets.
Harvinder Hungin, chairman at The Borders Distillery, added: “Giancarlo’s combination of operational and commercial understanding together with international distribution makes him ideally placed to lead the next phase of our development.
“His proven ability to transform production-led operations and grow branded sales aligns perfectly with our ambitions.”
The Borders Distillery is also preparing to release its first single malt Scotch whisky.
Last November, the company adopted Bottle ERP (enterprise resource planning) technology to track whisky production ahead of the launch.
In 2024, the company received a £35 million funding package from wine and spirits investment platform Ferovinum to support growth over the following three years.
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