Photiades wins Diageo ‘Partner of the Year’ award for Cyprus

— Opens up in Romania

Diageo Plc, the world’s leading premium drinks company and owner of brand names such as Johnnie Walker, J&B, Smirnoff, Baileys and Gordon’s presented the ‘Partner of the Year’ award for 2007 to Photos Photiades Distributors Ltd., during the company’s annual awards ceremony for its European partners held in in Sofia, Bulgaria, last month.

Competing against 25 distribution companies from Europe, Photos Photiades Distributors won the award for using world-class commercial activities across all market channels.

“I am especially proud of Alexis Photiades [Managing Director of Photos Photiades Distributors Ltd] and his team for winning Europe’s top award. This justifies my trust in them when we became partners back in 1999,” said Gilbert Ghostine, Managing Director of Diageo Continental Europe.

“Almost one third of our business worldwide comes from our partners,” added Ghostine. “That’s why our company recognizes and values these partner relationships enormously. Photos Photiades Distributors Ltd is an excellent example of a leading edge organization and a great partner”.

Representing the Cypriot distribution company at the ceremony were Alexis Photiades, Panicos Alkiviades, Carolina Photiades and Alexandros Gregoriou.

Photos Photiades Distributors Ltd has been the official distributor partner of Diageo in Cyprus since 1999 and, as of this year, official distributor partner of Diageo in Romania. The company is also the official Cyprus distributor of Carlsberg and Corona beers, Moet & Chandon champagne, Hennessy cognac, Shark Energy Drink and Boutari and Kyperounda wines, as well as other local brands such as Ena fruit drinks, Agros water and KEAN soft drinks.

While Carlsberg is brewed locally by an affiliate family-owned company, Ph. Photiades Breweries Ltd., and it is widely seen as the best-selling beer on the island, it is also distributed in Greece where it has a leading share among imported beers, while the Cyprus company has also opened up new markets for Carlsberg in the region and in south east Europe.