Players include liquor giants like Pernod Ricard and Jose Cuervo, plus small entrepreneurs like Hagar.
Mr Porta, 50, will report to Pernod Ricard deputy chief executive Alexandre Ricard from July.
"Certainly Jacques is not at Paul Ricard at our invitation, " a Williams spokesman said.
BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Formula One | Williams cool on Villeneuve
Plymouth, owned today by Pernod Ricard, arguably has the richest history of any gin, period.
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Pernod Ricard reported a 4% decline in western European sales, with a 9% fall in Spain.
The European Commission is bringing the case on behalf of Pernod Ricard, a French company.
That would be a big shot glass to swallow for either Diageo or Pernod-Ricard.
The other big growth company is Pernod Ricard, which bought much of the Canadian-based Seagrams in 2000.
Chairman and chief executive Christian Porta will move to Paris after being appointed head of Pernod Ricard Europe.
Booming Scotch whisky sales have helped French drinks giant Pernod Ricard record its strongest growth for four years.
No value is being placed on the proposed investment, ahead of a market update by Pernod Ricard next week.
BBC: Chivas Brothers reveal plans for new Speyside distillery
Mr Lacassagne, who is also a former head of Orlando Wyndham, has led Pernod Ricard Europe since July 2008.
Diageo now gets a jump over Pernod Ricard which so far had a stronger market position in India.
Scotch whisky sales in the second half of last year were "challenging" in South Korea, according to Pernod Ricard's half-year report.
In Pernod Ricard's champagne sales, Perrier-Jouet sold well in the Americas, Asia and France, but western Europe led decline for Mumm.
Pernod Ricard claims it was not theirs to sell, because they failed to re-register it when it lapsed in the 1970s.
The head of Chivas Brothers is to take up a new role at owners Pernod Ricard after seven years in the job.
Pernod Ricard has announced that the nephew of recently deceased chief executive Patrick Ricard will take the company's helm from January 2015.
Both riders will be present at the launch in Madrid this weekend, alongside Hilton and her partners Nano, Xavi Montero and Ricard Garriga.
In the past year, for example, Pernod Ricard struck a big deal to buy Britain's Allied Domecq, and France Telecom bought Spain's Amena.
Earlier this month, Pernod Ricard - the second largest distiller of Scotch whisky - reported flat global sales for the second half of 2012.
In the meantime Alexandre Ricard, 40, has been promoted to deputy chief executive and chief operating officer, the firm said in a statement.
The French multinational Pernod Ricard helped create Dragon Seal in 1987, for example, and Seagram's and Remy Martin have also been involved in joint ventures.
If all goes to plan, Mr Ricard will retire in 2008.
ECONOMIST: Does it make sense for Pernod Ricard to buy Allied Domecq?
In March 1986, Williams suffered spinal cord injuries in a car accident after leaving the Paul Ricard Circuit in France, where he had been watching testing.
The French-owned firm, part of Pernod Ricard, wants to build on the site of the Imperial distillery near Carron, which has not been used for 14 years.
BBC: Chivas Brothers reveal plans for new Speyside distillery
Villeneuve, the Formula One champion in 1997, has been at the Paul Ricard circuit this week, and reports said that he was there to test for Williams.
BBC: SPORT | Motorsport | Formula One | Williams cool on Villeneuve
France Telecom shares jumped after the announcement of its acquisition of Amena, as did those of Pernod Ricard and Suez after their respective takeovers were made public.
The home side's best chance came courtesy of Hamilton Ricard, who also hit the post with a first-half header that forced goalkeeper Nigel Martyn to save on the rebound.
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