The Brown-Forman Board of Directors has launched a formal succession process, weighing both internal and external candidates. The search will be overseen by the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, chaired by Tracy Skeans. Whiting has agreed to stay on in an advisory role for a period after a new CEO is appointed to help ensure a smooth transition.
Brown-Forman Chairman Marshall B. Farrer praised Whiting's tenure, crediting him with expanding Jack Daniel's into new international markets and categories, growing Woodford Reserve into the world's leading super-premium American whiskey, and tripling the volume of the company's founding brand, Old Forester, while increasing its net sales sixfold over the past decade. "Lawson has been a steadfast steward of founder George Garvin Brown's vision," Farrer said, adding that the board was grateful Whiting had given ample notice, allowing time for a thorough review of talent.
Farrer noted that Whiting will continue driving the company's strategic priorities — including geographic expansion, brand-building and operational efficiency — while the board conducts its search.
Whiting called leading Brown-Forman "the privilege of a lifetime," saying his tenure was shaped by the people he worked alongside and expressing confidence that the succession process would identify the right leader to carry the company's momentum forward.
Wolf Pen Branch, which holds a controlling interest in Brown-Forman, also voiced confidence in the company's financial strength and the board's ongoing search for Whiting's replacement.
