Guinness Ireland's managing director, Mr Shaun Holliday, is to leave the company in September. Guinness said Mr Holliday would become chief executive of a new e-commerce Internet company, backed by Benchmark Capital in the United States.

Mr Brian Duffy, currently managing director of Guinness' Jamaican subsidiary, Desnoes and Geddes, will succeed Mr Holliday as managing director of the Guinness Ireland group. Mr Duffy, a native of Belfast, was previously managing director of Guinness Northern Ireland.

"I would like to wish Shaun well in his new career. I am delighted we have someone as talented and with as much experience of working in Ireland as Brian to take over," said Guinness chief executive, Mr Colin Storm.