Bacardi welcomes its first female GTR boss

Grey Goose owner Bacardi has introduced Leila Stansfield to its global travel retail (GTR) team, the first female lead for the division.

Leila Stansfield will be taking over from Vinay Golikeri as managing director of GTR from January 2023. Golikeri will assume the role of managing director of India and neighbouring countries.

Vijay Subramaniam, regional president Europe, Middle East and Africa and GTR, Bacardi, said: “Vinay has played a pivotal role in leading and developing our GTR business.

“The last few years have been particularly difficult for this channel, and Vinay has successfully navigated the challenges of the pandemic. He has spearheaded our ambitions as a front-runner in the omnichannel revolution sweeping travel retail by partnering with retail customers, introducing significant innovation in shopper experience and our brand portfolio.

“I would like to thank Vinay for his unwavering drive and positive leadership and to wish him every success in his new role.”

Stansfield is currently on-trade sales director, Bacardi UK and Ireland. She is an experienced GTR veteran, having previously held roles as GTR finance director and GTR marketing director.

Stansfield commented: “I am very excited to be returning to GTR in January 2023, especially at a time when the market looks set to move towards full recovery. I look forward to reconnecting with our retail partners and stakeholders to accelerate and deliver mutually beneficial strategies for growth.”

‘Driving force’ in senior leadership

Subramaniam called Stansfield “a driving force in our senior leadership team” who brings “valuable commercial acumen from across several aspects of our business”.

“This is a time of transformational opportunity for GTR and Bacardi is deeply committed for the long term,” Subramaniam continued.

“With a passion for people – our customers, consumers and for unlocking potential in her team – Leila will be a tremendous leader to move GTR into the new omnichannel era, maximising the unrivalled dynamics in terms of strategic brand-building and commercial opportunity as well as driving our ESG [environmental, social and governance] goals – a key objective in our strategic ambitions for GTR.”

In 2020, Ignacio Vázquez was named Bacardi’s GTR team’s global head of marketing.

Golikeri added: “It’s been such a privilege to lead the Bacardi GTR business, and I would especially like to call out the most magnificent team of talented people I’ve worked with and to thank them for their fearless commitment and passion.

“These individuals have delivered phenomenal work in the toughest of times, enabling us to reinvent our business in GTR and to emerge stronger with new possibilities, notably in forging omni-channel solutions that are the bedrock of the new era in this remarkable market.”

Earlier this year, we explored how premium rum is boosting GTR’s global recovery following the pandemic.