formerly British-American Tobacco Company Ltd. (1902-76) and B.A.T Industries PLC (1976-98)
British conglomerate that is one of the world's largest manufacturers of tobacco products.
The company's international headquarters are in London, while its chief American subsidiary, Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, is headquartered in Louisville, Ky. Its acquisitions have included the American Tobacco Company (1994), which represents such cigarette brands as Pall Mall and Lucky Strike; Rothmans International (1999), known for its Dunhill and Rothmans brands; and Canada's largest cigarette company, Imperial Tobacco (2000).