Beefeater appoints global brand ambassador

Pernod Ricard has appointed Sumaiyah Connolly as the global brand ambassador for its Beefeater Gin brand.

Connolly will act as a spokesperson for Beefeater Gin

Connolly’s passion for bartending began while completing a degree in Cape Town. She first joined Pernod Ricard in South Africa in 2012, working across the group’s portfolio with the bartending community.

In her new role, Connolly will aim to build strong relationships with customers and drive overall brand advocacy in key global markets.

While acting as a spokesperson for Beefeater, Connolly will also work in collaboration with brand managers to develop on- and off-trade programmes.

She will have an active role in mentoring members of the Chivas Brothers Graduate Programme – coaching graduates to become global brand ambassadors in the future.
‘‘With the global gin market continuing to boom, it is more important than ever for gin brands to stand out against the competition,” said Beefeater global brand director, Eric Sampers.

“Sumaiyah has joined us at an exciting time and we look forward to having her on our team as we continue to grow Beefeater’s global presence.”
Connolly added: ‘‘Gin has always been one of my favourite spirits and it’s great to see its popularity continuing to grow. As a lover of the Beefeater brand I could not be more fortunate and excited to represent it around the world and share its essence with new and curious gin drinkers alongside a brilliant team.

“Having the opportunity to travel and showcase the brand to different cultures will be really rewarding, and I cannot wait to get started.”

Beefeater Gin’s former global brand ambassador Tim Stones left the role to join the Manly Spirits Co based in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.