, not a difficult decision because to be -- the great thing about this company is that johnnie walker198 years old and guinness started in 1759. our job is to make the great brands even greater. that is what attracted me to the company. francine: do consumers drink more at home, they want a story that goes with the brands they drink? >> at home and going out, depending on the country and the culture and how socializing takes place. our brands participate in moments of celebration, relaxation, being out with friends. they are built into the fabric of culture. whiskey has a renaissance around the world. young people are interested, how it is made and where it comes from, and the stories behind it. that is what we love, telling the stories and getting the connection with consumers. francine: how much does scale matter? do you need to be bigger to demand better premiums and where your product gets placed? >> it is both. my key job is to keep a big company small and scale matters, and we have a wonderful portfolio with market leading brands across all of the major categories. at the same t

it is 8:37 in the morning as he pulls out a planed of johnny walker black from his desk drawer and takes a good long swig. he tells me there are a lot of girls who would do anything for a chance at my job i tried to say something, find language to say i like my job and i am grateful to be here but everything just seems to give him a reason to ask me to do the tiny quiet tasks that aren't listed in my job description. what i please lock the door? what i kindly unbuttoned the top three buttons on my blouse so as not to appear so stuffy in such a creative office? what i please come stand next to him so he can point out the differences between the two incompatible versions of my last weekly report. we are all just team players and everybody who plays on his team wins beyond his window are other windows, opened eyes and breathing walls. but it is 8:307 am. and all i can see is the glare of the winter sun from the east. thank you. [applause] >> good afternoon, thank you all for being here, thank you for having me here at this conference. appreciate being invited to panels for doing this longer

cramer, we've got your johnny walker black. well, no, i like single malt oh, on your way!good to be back, lloyd. it's kind of like when jack nicholson goes to the california room in "the shining." lloyd? >> i know it i know it. i know it. >> until lloyd blankfein, the only lloyd i knew was when the bartender in the -- it was a california room. >> was it the colorado. >> i know, but was it the california room in the hotel >> it was an underlit bar. >> oh -- who were those twins in the hall >> i don't know. >> frightening >> dow up 2.26 and all of the components are green for now let's get to bob pisani. >> yes, we are green and again, geopolitics and the president tweeting helping the markets and sometimes it hurts the market, but we're getting blown around by geopolitics even though we keep trying to bring the conversation back to earnings season which we all at cnbc care about. i keep circling things and let me show you this morning, 6:15 or so the president comes out with a tweet and he says strikes on syria could be coming soon or not so soon at all there you go and you