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Magners' top marketer, a Canadian with a faint Scottish accent, was behind the launch of the Irish cider in the UK this year - and it has had an immediate effect. After seeing the brand breathe life into a stagnant sector, Scottish Courage launched Strongbow Sirrus as a rival premium cider served over ice.

Magners enjoys 95% of the Irish on-trade cider market and 60% of off-trade, but is still an emerging brand in England where it hopes for similar success.

Breen had his grounding in FMCG before moving to the drinks market, his career taking in stints at Birds Eye Wall's and Nestle. Breen says these 'number-crunching experiences' in planning gave him an insight into the complete workings of a company, and ultimately showed him that his calling was to be more involved with the marketing and branding side of the business.

'Working on one of the UK's most famous brands in Milky Bar was fantastic and made me want to work on some of the drinks sector's most famous brands.'

Magners has surprisingly few marketers for Ireland and England, just four, including Breen. Some might question the likely success of such a small team, given the competition and the budgets they wield, but Breen is not deterred.

He is proud of his achievements, some of which are still in evidence.

When working on The Famous Grouse, he introduced the ads with the animated grouse brand character. He smiles contentedly when describing the simple, yet effective, 'iconic' advertising.

He has also shown a canny instinct when it comes to creativity. 'Saatchis had the Famous Grouse business for 20 years or so, and Abbott Mead Vickers' appointment saw the need for new creative. I didn't want creatives coming near it; they'd have come up with something typically Scottish, misty lochs, running streams, not what I wanted or needed'.

His next role at Scottish Courage was his first working on lager brands, including Beck's, Kronenbourg 1664, Holsten, Molson and Coors. He initiated Beck's association with the arts, cementing a relationship with the Institute of Contemporary Arts by creating the Beck's Futures Awards, one of the UK's biggest contemporary arts prizes.

Premium French lager Kronenbourg 1664 was a big headache though. 'It had been bought from Danone, not fitting in with the firm's healthy ethos, and was struggling against Stella Artois. We tried to soften the edges of the brand, which it is still trying to do. It recently launched a blanc version and finally seems to be succeeding in taking on Stella.'

These days, Magners commands all of Breen's attention. 'Some say I'm mad to introduce a bottled cider to Scotland and England. But they don't know that for the past 15 years we have reinvented cider in southern Ireland. We are now a credible beer alternative and the fourth-biggest beer or cider brand in Ireland.'

Giles Morgan, managing director of sports marketing and sponsorship at Hill & Knowlton, which is handling the sponsorship deal between Magners and rugby team Wasps, believes Breen is just the type of cool, consummate marketer who can make Magners big in England. 'He is on his toes and on his game,' he says.

The Magners-on-ice concept was developed in the 70s to create a point of difference. The strategy since has been one of 'follow the Irish', introducing the brand to Boston and Chicago in the US, and themed pubs in the UK.

The intention is to become a major player, and TV advertising is a good place to start, says Breen. 'We need to show people that we're big and serious. We get good dispersal of the message from hitting London. Our model is to keep it simple: introduce the glass, ice and pint bottle, and let it happen'.

The Canadian is not one to pass up an opportunity. He also unusually admits to his errors, and still feels responsible for not doing more with Kronenbourg 1664. To make up for it, he is determined that the slow pouring of Magners over ice will become a familiar sight in English pubs.

CAREER HISTORY 1983-1985: Various marketing and planning roles, Birds Eye Wall's 1985-1988: Brand manager, Nestle 1988-1990: Various marketing roles, Captain Morgan and Mumm, Seagram 1990-1997: Various roles, rising to global controller, The Famous Grouse, Matthew Gloag 1997-2002: Brands director, premium lagers, Scottish Courage 2002-present: Marketing director, Magners