People think you put water, yeast and barley together - easy money

Mark Reynier has found new focus in Waterford, where he is bringing Irish whiskey back to its roots

Mark Reynier Mary Browne

CV: Mark Reynier

Role: chief executive, Waterford Distillery

Age:55

Lives: Edinburgh

Family: married to Maureen; one son, Ruari

In the spring of 2012, Mark Reynier got a shock from which he has still not recovered. He was sitting at a boardroom table with his fellow directors of the company behind the Bruichladdich Distillery in Islay, one of Scotland’s most productive whisky regions.

Reynier and his fellow directors were holding an emergency meeting to ...