Last month Paul Skehan was appointed as the new director general at Spirits Europe.

It marks a return to the organisation he previously led from 2011 to 2017 and comes at what he calls an important moment for the industry.

While much has changed in that time what hasn’t, he says, is the extraordinary heritage, entrepreneurship and global success of European spirits, and the passion of the people behind them.

There are challenges facing the sector but there is an abundance of opportunities available to producers, too.

In his first podcast interview since rejoining Spirits Europe, we spoke about where he sees evolution in the sector, how businesses can cater for changing consumer habits and the role he and his colleagues have in helping unlock the next stage of growth of Europe’s innovative and exciting spirits producers.

And in returning to the organisation following his role as vice president of EU Affairs at PepsiCo Paul, who is a popular figure in the industry, couldn’t be happier coming back to a sector he knows and loves so well…