Liquor giant UB Group today said it might enlist the newly-acquired Scottish whisky maker Whyte & Mackay on the London Stock Exchange (LSE)."This (the listing on the LSE) can happen," Vijay Mallya, chairman, UB Group told reporters when asked whether he was planning to enlist the company on the stock exchange to raise funds.He, however, did not give any time-frame.The Mallya-promoted United Spirits had last week acquired Scottish whisky company Whyte & Mackay for 595 million pounds (Rs 4,819 crore), making the UB Group the second largest liquor company in the world.He added that Whyte & Mackay would remain a 100% subsidiary of the UB Group and has no plans to change the management."We should allow it to operate on its own and I don't see any change required in the current management," Mallya said.Mallya said that the acquisition of Whyte and Mackay was required to make scotch whisky available in India, China and the Gulf.The acquisition will be financed through loans from ICICI Bank ($325 million), Citibank ($310 million) and through sale of United Spirits treasury stocks."We will pay it off prematurely," Mallya said. He had earlier stated that the earnings of Whyte and Mackay would cover the cost of acquisition in the near future.Whyte and Mackay's annual operating income is now approximately 50 million pounds and expected to grow at 20% per annum.
