Portman Group boss moves to NGO

Henry Ashworth, the chief executive of the alcohol marketing regulator, the Portman Group, is quitting the organization to take up a role with the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.

Henry Ashworth

Ashworth, who joined the Portman Group in October 2011, will start his new post at the not-for-profit organization in January. He previously worked at the Behavioural Insight team in the Cabinet office and spend two years as assistant director of food & alcohol policy at the then Dept for Business, Innovation and Skills, as well as serving on the board of trustees for Jamie Oliver’s restaurant and social enterprise, Fifteen Cornwall.

Sir Martin Narey, Chairman of the Portman Group said it had been “a rare pleasure” to work with Ashworth and he was delighted he had been recruited to a prestigious and important post.

“He has led the Portman Group members through some choppy waters with skill and tenacity, challenging them, while at the same time, demonstrating to Government the reality of the social responsibility of the vast majority of alcohol producers,” he said.

Ashworth said it had been a great privilege to work at the Portman Group and commended the input and commitment from the drinks industry which had contributed to progress in self-regulation.

“In the last five years we have strengthened the UK’s self-regulatory alcohol marketing framework, and challenged the industry to go further than ever before in its efforts to support central and local government in helping to reduce alcohol-related harms,” he said.

“Drinks producers and retailers have shown that they are both willing and committed partners by voluntarily removing over one billion units of alcohol from the market, labeling over 80% of products on shelves with key health information with 90% carrying a warning about alcohol and pregnancy, providing targeted support for local communities and funding lifeskills education in schools.

“These important measures demonstrate the commitment of drinks companies to work in partnership with government to promote responsible alcohol consumption and to support the wellbeing of consumers.”

The Portman Group is set to recruit a new chief executive.