Sir Ian Good, who played a key role in building Scotch whisky group Edrington into a major global business, has died at the age of 80.

The accountant retired from Edrington, which produces The Macallan, Famous Grouse and Highland Park, in 2013.

Sir Ian, who was knighted in 2008 for services to the Scotch whisky industry, was also a senior figure in Scottish horseracing.

Glasgow-based Edrington's growth into a major global player was enabled by the bold but essential £601 million acquisition of the then stock market-listed Highland Distillers in 1999, a deal driven by Sir Ian and backed financially by the family-owned William Grant & Sons. This deal came 20 years after the long-time Edrington chief, then aged 36, appeared before the competition authorities to argue successfully why distiller Hiram Walker should not be allowed to acquire Highland.

READ MORE: Sir Ian's 2013 interview with The Herald

Recalling how he came to work at Edrington, in an interview with The Herald shortly after he retired as chairman of the Glasgow-based distiller in 2013, Sir Ian said: "I joined the group through an advert in the Glasgow Herald in 1969...for a newly qualified accountant. I had qualified in 1967. I had spent a couple of years with Price Waterhouse, in London and Glasgow, and wanted to get into business and saw this advert, and was interviewed and got the job."

Asked in the summer of 2013 whether, back in 1969, he had conceived of Edrington growing into a company of the scale it had  become, Sir Ian replied: "No. You obviously hope you can grow the business. It was a totally different company but, again, there have been some terrific people in the business that have enabled that to happen.”

Edrington chief executive Scott McCroskie declared today that Sir Ian had been a central figure in the history of the company.

Mr McCroskie said: "Sir Ian will be remembered as a key architect of the Edrington we know today. He worked with the Robertson sisters and led a team that transformed our business from a whisky blender and broker to an international premium spirits company. He also introduced employee share ownership that has allowed Edrington employees to share in the company’s success.

‌‌"Sir Ian cared deeply about Edrington’s people and the empathetic, supportive culture we feel in the business today is in large part a legacy of that. He also believed in striving for ‘excellence’, which remains one of our core values."

Mr McCroskie added: "I had the privilege to work with Sir Ian for a few years before he retired, and to see him occasionally after that. Whilst he could be robust when he had to be, the man I knew was one of the cleverest, kindest and most compassionate that I have met. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his legacy. He will be sadly missed, and our thoughts are with Lady Irene and his daughters and all his family.”

Sir Ian was chairman of Hamilton Park racecourse, and was on its board for more than 30 years.

Hamilton Park said this week: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce that our long-serving racecourse and hotel chairman, Sir Ian Good, 80, passed away peacefully…at The Beatson after a short period of illness.

“Sir Ian had been on the board at Hamilton Park for more than 30 years and he made an immeasurable contribution not only to Hamilton Park but also to Scottish Racing and the racing industry as a whole - he will be sorely missed by us all.

“Our thoughts are with Lady Irene, his daughters Fiona and Catriona and the Good family at this incredibly difficult time.”