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Ten leading female spirits industry executives

To mark International Women’s Day, The Spirits Business is celebrating the talents of 10 of the spirits industry’s leading female executives.

According to data analyst Catalyst, women hold just 12% of board seats across all industries globally, and on average earn 77% of men’s salaries – the equivalent of what their male counterparts were earning 10 years ago. This is a narrow picture which doesn’t take into account characteristics such as race or age – but it is one which should encourage all of us to seek further progress towards true, meaningful equality.

The woman featured over the pages that follow are responsible for steering some of the world’s biggest spirits organisations at a time of geopolitical headwinds, economic uncertainty and political instability. They embody leadership which, regardless of gender, is needed at a time of profound change.

There are, of course, many more women who have made invaluable contributions to the sector in the boardrooms of industry powerhouses across the globe – this list is by no means definitive. And it is important to note that one day we hope there will be no remit to highlight the achievements of women in such a list, when true equality means women leading global businesses will be the norm.

In the continuing spirit of International Women’s Day, click through to discover 10 top female spirits industry executives, in no particular order.

Karen Betts, CEO, The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA)

Appointed earlier this month, Betts is the first woman to lead the SWA, and the eighth person to head the association, in its 105-year history.

She joined the SWA following sixteen years with the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). In addition to her role as the British Ambassador to Monaco, Betts also served as the non-resident ambassador to Mauritania, and was a Counsellor at the British Embassy in Washington.

She held positions in the UK Cabinet Office as a national security advisor, and as the deputy chief of assessments staff – and has also worked on Middle East security policy, and in the British Embassy in Baghdad. Betts will join the SWA from 19 May.

Genevieve Jodhan, CEO, Angostura Holdings

In February 2017, Jodhan became the first woman to lead a large Trinidad and Tobago company outside of the energy sector.

Prior to her promotion, she had been heading the company in an acting capacity since September 2016 when previous CEO Robert Wong went on a period of leave, and before this held the role of sales and marketing executive manager.

Jodhan leads the executive management team at Angostura, supports the board of directors on strategic business, and leads growth strategies.

Valérie Chapoulaud-Floquet, CEO, Rémy Cointreau Group

When Valérie Chapoulaud-Floquet was appointed as CEO by the French drinks group in June 2014, the share-price hit a six month high.

She arrived with a wealth of experience in global luxury brands, and has expertly navigated the company through a particularly trying period caused by geopolitical and economic pressure – not least the headwinds its Cognac brand Rémy Martin faced in China.

Prior to Rémy, Chapoulaud-Floquet spent 20 years with L’Oreal Group, heading the luxury products division at the group’s US office, before moving to Louis Vuitton in 2008, where she was president and CEO of the Americas.

Kirsten Grant, director of prestige, William Grant & Sons

Though a fifth-generation family member in the William Grant & Sons dynasty, Grant Meikle did not always anticipate joining the family business. After completing a wine diploma and running a wine bar in Edinburgh, she spent eight years at on-trade drinks supplier Matthew Clark across a variety of roles spanning sales and category management. In 2011, the late Charles Grant Gordon, former chairman and life president of William Grant & Sons, invited his niece to join the family business.

She became head of development, UK on-trade, at First Drinks Brands, then the wholly-owned UK distribution arm of William Grant & Sons. Three years later, First Drinks was renamed William Grant & Sons UK as part of a wider reorganisation of the business, which also saw the creation of a ‘Prestige’ arm.

Headed by Grant Meikle, the unit focuses on promoting its super- and ultra-premium portfolio to hundreds of key on- and off-trade accounts in the UK, including members’ clubs and specialist retailers.

KC Kavanagh, GCO, Bacardi

Bacardi appointed KC Kavanagh as senior vice president and global chief communications officer in November 2016. Working closely with chief executive officer Mike Dolan and chairman Facundo L Bacardi, Kavanagh develops strategic internal and external corporate communications to support the company’s efforts to drive global growth.

She also assists in developing integrated campaigns, social media strategies and content marketing programs for the firm’s portfolio, and oversees the company’s corporate and brand archives.

Kavanagh has formerly led global communications for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and its 11 brands, which include Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis and W Hotels, as well as Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

Moji Shand, CEO, Duncan Taylor

Mojdeh Shand was appointed as CEO of independent family-owned drinks company Duncan Taylor – the owner of one of the largest privately held collections of rare Scotch whisky casks – back in 2012.

An attorney at law, Shand received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of West Los Angeles, School of Law in 1998.

She began her legal career in Los Angeles, California, where she served as a senior supervising attorney, and amassed more than a decade of litigation and management experience. Now, Shand combines her skills and experience with her passion for Scotch whisky.

Kathryn Mikells, CFO, Diageo

Mikells succeeded Deirdre Mahlan as chief financial officer at Diageo in November 2015, and is based in the company’s London office.

She boasts a history of working in numerous senior financial roles for global consumer facing and B2B businesses, including CFO for Xerox Corporation and United Airlines.

In total, 35% of Diageo’s board and almost 40% of its executive committee – one of the highest in the FTSE 100 – are women, and include Mairéad Nayager, human resources director; Siobhan Moriarty, general counsel; Syl Saller, chief marketing officer; and Deirdre Mahlan, president, Diageo North America.

Diana Hunter, CEO, Conviviality Plc

Hunter has held the role of CEO at Conviviality Plc since February 2013, and set out the company’s strategy to be the drink sectors leading specialist wholesaler and distributor.

After leading the company through its IPO on AIM in July 2013 – growing revenues from £360 million to more than £1.4 billion – Hunter engineered the acquisition of a number of businesses, including Matthew Clark, Bibendum PLB, and Peppermint.

Hunter began her career at Sainsbury’s, where she held numerous executive roles over 13 years, before moving to Waitrose as a director, where she lead the growth of the Waitrose store estate and created the Little Waitrose convenience chain.

Hunter is also a board member of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, and a trustee of the drinks industry charity, The Benevolent.

Rebecca Messina, SVP & CMO, Beam Suntory

Messina joined Beam Suntory’s executive leadership team as global chief marketing officer in March 2016, reporting to CEO Matt Shattock.
She formerly served as senior vice president, marketing and innovation, venturing and emerging brands at The Coca-Cola Company, and held numerous positions there during her 22 years at the company.

Messina also held marketing leadership roles across several regions, including Europe and South America, and served for five years as vice president, global marketing capability and integration.

She is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Anna Malmhake, CEO, Absolut

In February 2016 Malmhake left her role as CEO of Irish Distillers to head up the Absolut Company as part of major management and organisational changes at Pernod Ricard.

Malmhake started her career at Procter & Gamble, before joining The Coca Cola Company where she held various marketing positions.

She then worked for Motorola, Swedish consulting firm Temo AB, and the Swedish bottler of Coca Cola, before she was appointed as global brand director at the Absolut Company in 2007.

From there she was promoted to marketing director in 2009, and joined Irish Distillers in 2011. Malmhake has a Bachelor of Social Science, Business and Law degree from the University of Stockholm.

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