Worked with management consultancy businesses (including GLG, Atheneum Partners, and GuidePoint) and individual corporate clients, advising on a number of key business, marketing and brand issues, and helping to grow sector penetration. Work included: market and category analysis and building channel-specific brand plans; developing a commercial strategy for the spirits category of a premium UK retailer; understanding differing consumer behaviours by channel both domestically and internationally; Marketing team structures and change management.Also worked for a leading Champagne cooperative to develop the UK strategy and distribution of its primary marque; working with a wine and spirit business to develop a category plan; plus pro-bono work with a lead generation marketing agency.

I lead and direct the brand marketing and customer marketing agenda across the strategically important Global Travel Retail channel, using GTR as a global stage on which to achieve excellence in NPD, brand equity, brand activation, customer marketing and category management. Working closely with the 4 regional business units of GTR and the global brand teams, I ensure the positioning and premium credentials of the brands – including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Tullamore DEW and Hendricks – are brought to life across the GTR channel through the most inspiring and engaging brand experiences.I am responsible for the development of annual joined-up plans for all brands, with clearly defined consumer and shopper focused brand strategies to ensure profitable and sustainable growth. This is done through understanding the GTR shopper, applying the appropriate range and brand activation to that shopper, and striving to increase value through premiumisation and NPD.I lead and develop a high performing marketing team with individuals based across the globe, all with strong marketing and customer marketing capabilities to deliver excellence. I also manage a leadership role within the wider William Grant marketing community and am accountable for managing the relationship with Global Marketing. I ensure that all GBTs are fully aligned behind the GTR strategy and plans. I also ensure that William Grant & Sons is professionally represented to trade press, customers and shoppers through an integrated PR strategy, which also includes the creation and organisation of all marketing and customer marketing content for events and international trade shows.I have achieved all the objectives set in the 10 months of this interim role. This covered the joined-up brand and commercial 2017 planning across GTR, re-shaping the GTR marketing structure, transforming the marketing processes, aligning plans with the global marketing teams and building up a consistent PR profile for GTR.

Enotria (owned by Blue Gem PE) is responsible for over 200 wine producers, including some of the world’s most premium and iconic wine brands such as Marques de Riscal and Trimbach, as well as working with the portfolio of some great companies like Grupo Penaflor, Cecchi and Caviro.I lead and direct the strategic and commercial development of building brands – both agency and own brands – in all areas of the UK Off Trade, Global Travel Retail and International businesses of Enotria. Setting and managing the commercial – sales and marketing – strategies, and writing the plan that delivers against financial and consumer goals; operating the full set of sales drivers required to win in the market place; basing all investment decisions on customer and market insight; and ultimately delivering optimum profitability to the P&L. Utilising my extensive marketing experience, I am responsible for the strong and collaborative partnerships with Brand Owners from around the world, working in partnership with them to deliver the annual joined up business plan which meets the mutual business objectives both in the short and medium term, and agrees the longer term strategies in these channels.I champion the collaboration with all areas of the Enotria business, particularly engaging with Buying, Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain, in order to deliver the very best service and support for our customers and consumers, and achieve the shared business goals and performance ambition. I direct and lead the commercial disciplines and structure, and required process rigour to drive and strengthen capability, ensuring a high performing function within the Enotria business.

Diageo's GTME business is one of its most profitable. It is a dynamic, rapidly evolving environment focused on putting the world’s most innovative, premium spirit brands into the hands of deluxe and super-deluxe shoppers and high net worth individuals globally. We are at the forefront of the agenda in luxury and premiumisation for some of the world’s best-known brands. As a result it is one of the most stimulating and progressive working environments in the business. I lead and direct the Marketing strategy for our 4 global customers (Aer Rianta, Dufry, Nuance and World Duty Free Group) with a central team based in Europe, and working with the wider sales and retail marketing function spread across 11 different locations around the world. Delivering strong marketing plans that engage and inspire our customers and shoppers is critical. A strong innovation pipeline is also a key part of our performance delivery, and winning at the moment of choice for our shoppers via brilliant retail execution and outstanding luxury visibility is at the heart of that. I lead the Customer Marketing team in bringing these plans to market via the commercial team, with day 1 brilliant execution, ensuring the delivery of our performance objectives.

Leading the Marketing strategy across 5 global customers (Aer Rianta, DFS, Dufry, Nuance, World Duty Free Group) with a central unit based in Europe, but working with the wider sales and trade marketing team spread right across the globe, from Los Angeles in the west to Sydney in the east. Delivering strong marketing plans that engage and inspire our customers and shoppers – including the effective launch of a critical innovation pipeline – is critical. I lead the marketing team in bringing these plans and innovation to market via the commercial team, with day 1 brilliant execution, ensuring the delivery of our performance objectives.

Led the marketing strategy and plans for the European business of GTME, including Russia/CIS, with Johnnie Walker as the most important brand priority. Ensured the delivery of the activation and permanent visibility plans of the full spirits portfolio, as well as launching and developing the critical innovation agenda. Helped deliver an exceptional performance in challenging market conditions, cumulating in winning Diageo’s AsiaPacific ‘Market of the Year’ in F13.

Directed and managed the Champagne portfolio of Vranken-Pommery Monopole that achieved strong double-digit growth in both Off and premium On trade channels. Leading a dedicated, high performing Champagne development team, and working alongside the commercial teams of Justerini & Brooks and Percy Fox. Success was built on a rolling 18-month strategic Brand Plan and longer-term (5 year) Joined Up Business Plan for the different marques of the portfolio, and driving this strategy through to action with customer focused plans and targeted PR/media engagement.

My time at Pernod Ricard involved 5 separate roles, from Marketing Services Manager to Brand Manager on Jacob's Creek - at that stage growing strongly to become the number 1 wine brand in the UK - to Marketing Manager, Investment Brands, which included Champagnes as well as premium and super-premium wine brands. I also spent 15 months on secondment as a Regional Sales Manager, providing me with invaluable experience and understanding in the sales environment.