Brown-Forman Corporation announced that Matt Hamel, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, will retire on May 1. Mike Carr, vice president, associate general counsel for regional and corporate development, will succeed Hamel at that time.

As general counsel, Hamel (pictured) has led Brown‐Forman’s legal, compliance, risk, and public affairs teams, overseeing activities related to corporate governance, SEC and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, regulatory compliance, trade practices, trademarks, litigation, acquisitions, enterprise risk management, government relations and more. He founded and leads a nationwide organization for general counsel and other senior governance professionals at publicly listed family-controlled companies.

Prior to joining Brown‐Forman in 2007, Hamel was with Dow Jones & Company, Dow Jones Reuters Business Interactive LLC (Factiva), and Colgate-Palmolive Company. He began his career at the law firm of White & Case.

“Matt has led the global expansion of Brown-Forman’s legal department, further deepened our strong culture of ethics and compliance, and helped root key business decisions in our values,” President and Chief Executive Officer Lawson Whiting, said in a news release. “His counsel is evident not only in our daily practices and thoughtful corporate and board governance, but also in the long-term positioning and strategy of our company. We thank Matt for his years of service and wish him well in retirement.”

Mike Carr has been with Brown-Forman for more than a decade, serving in key roles such as associate general counsel of Europe and, currently, vice president, associate general counsel for regional and corporate development. Carr was instrumental in recent acquisitions that are key to the company’s long-term global growth.

He played a leadership role stewarding a number of international route-to-consumer transformations and negotiating global agreements such as the Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola ready-to-drink relationship, as well as the recent acquisitions of Gin Mare and Diplomático.

Carr brings to the role a background in securities law, corporate law, corporate governance, commercial law and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Brown-Forman, Carr practiced corporate and securities law with Frost Brown Todd in Louisville, Kentucky, and Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC, in Nashville, Tennessee. Carr is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where he received a Bachelor of Accountancy, Masters of Taxation and Juris Doctorate. 

“Mike’s deep expertise and influence spans every market where Brown-Forman conducts business.” –Lawson Whiting

“Mike’s deep expertise and influence spans every market where Brown-Forman conducts business,” Whiting said. “He has been instrumental in overseeing legal affairs and providing sound, strategic legal guidance for large and complex matters. His leadership capabilities and unique mix of experiences within Brown-Forman, coupled with his background as an attorney and certified public accountant, have prepared Mike well for this role. I look forward to partnering with Mike as we continue to grow the business for the long-term.”

As general counsel, Carr will serve as the primary legal advisor to the board of directors and the company and will lead the global compliance, legal, risk, and public affairs teams. He will also serve as secretary to the board of directors.

For more information, visit brown-forman.com.