UK whisky lobby head steps down to help foreign minister with Brexit

EDINBURGH (Reuters) - The head of a group representing Scotland's whisky industry will become a close aide to British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, part of a drive to strengthen Britain's diplomatic and trading clout as it leaves the European Union.

The Scotch Whisky Association said David Frost would join Britain's foreign ministry as a special adviser to Johnson who, along with other government colleagues, wants Britain to develop as a global trader after Brexit.

Frost is a career diplomat who held previous roles at the ministry, including as British ambassador to Denmark. In 2014, he moved to the SWA whose members account for nearly a quarter of British food and drink exports.

The SWA campaigned for Britain to stay in the European Union and has expressed concern about Brexit because exports of Scotch stand to lose some of the access they have with countries around the world that have signed trade deals with the bloc.

(Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing by Richard Balmforth)