Creators of Great Company

An Interview with Bryan Fry, President and Chief Executive Offi cer, Pernod USA

EDITORS’ NOTE Bryan Fry assumed something that we passionately believe It’s about focusing on how we win in each his role in September 2012 after serv- in. It’s making sure that we’re making neighborhood with ambassadors, with young ing as Chairman and CEO of Pernod new friends every day through our people working for us driving that advocacy Ricard Brazil since 2009. Fry began brands and our people. and keeping it fresh. If we started doing big, his career in 1995 as With a global company, how fl ashy campaigns with a brand like Jameson, a Grower Liaison Offi cer at the com- close is the coordination region to lot of people who already consume the brand pany’s Orlando Wyndham unit region? Is the messaging seam- would walk away from us. in Australia. He subsequently held less or do you consider markets At day’s end, is it still a business of knock- the role of National Agribusiness individually? ing on doors and building relationships? Manager before moving to the Sales Most of the people who are run- Our business is all about relationships, but and Marketing side to assume the ning our affi liates around the world we defi nitely take advantage of all of the new roles of International Regional have come up through somewhere else digital opportunities. However, I have a mantra for Manager, Asia/Pacifi c and Global Bryan Fry in the Pernod Ricard business, so that my guys: I don’t care about “likes” – I only care Marketing Manager. He subsequently culture is core in each affi liate. about when you turn “likes” into shots. served as VP, Marketing for Pernod Ricard Asia. Of course, we absolutely respect the local We have 150,000 guardians of The Glenlivet Bryan is a graduate of Adelaide University and culture, but the core tenets of our business are brand in the U.S. that love the product so much holds a graduate diploma in Economics from stable around the world. One such tenet involves that they are heavily invested in it – they read our University of New England in Australia. responsible consumption – we develop and sup- apps, they talk to us, and they interact with us. port shared initiatives aimed at discouraging inap- But we need to make sure we get them into COMPANY BRIEF Pernod Ricard USA (pernod- propriate or excessive drinking. a bar with their friends, because in the end, that ricard-usa.com) is the premium spirits and How do you keep an entrepreneurial is the purest form of enjoying single malt – when company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of feel at your size? you can enjoy it with other people. Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA, which em- Again, a lot of the leaders within Pernod So it should be more about using digital to ploys a workforce of nearly 19,000 people world- Ricard have come up through the company, so we facilitate that moment of great company among wide and is listed on the NYSE Euronext exchange. have a good memory for the roots of the business. family and friends with our brands. This is when The company’s leading spirits and include Regardless of the true size and scale that we are it comes to life. such prestigious brands as Absolut® , Chivas now, we’re taught to maintain a small, entre- Will growth come from the current Regal® Scotch , The Glenlivet® Single Malt preneurial company mentality, given our heritage. brands or will you acquire new brands? , Jameson® , ®, In addition, ego is not something that goes First and foremost, we have a responsibility Kahlúa® Liqueur, Beefeater® , Plymouth™ well at Pernod Ricard. The idea is that people to keep our great brands great. Gin, ’s Extra Dry Gin®, ® , should be able to talk to anyone up and down the But that isn’t to say that we don’t look at Hiram Walker® Liqueurs, Pernod®, Ricard®, organization very easily. Doors are kept open and taking on new opportunities: Avión is a classic and Avión™ ; such superior wines as everyone is free to talk to anybody, anywhere, at example. Ultra-premium tequila was (and still is) Jacob’s Creek®, Kenwood® Vineyards, and any time – even getting out into the fi eld into a a rapidly growing category, and we didn’t have Brancott Estate®; and such exquisite cham- salesman’s car or an ambassador’s bar is critical to one. So we took on this opportunity with Avión, pagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier-Jouët® the business. which proved to be successful. It’s a new brand, , G.H. Mumm™ Champagne, and If it got around that I was sitting in my offi ce but a great brand, and we want to keep it a great Mumm Napa® sparkling wines. Pernod Ricard all day and never got my hands dirty, I wouldn’t brand for a long time. USA is based in New York and has roughly 850 be here long. We also have to look at the fact that U.S. con- employees across the country. How do you avoid becoming complacent sumers make up one of the most dynamic drinks when you have such great brands? markets in the world for two reasons: fi rst, the What does your tagline, “Creators of Great When you have more money to spend, the size and scope, and second, the willingness of the Company” mean? danger is to suddenly start doing massive cam- consumer to try and to absorb new things. Generally, it means that if our brands are at paigns. We do have great brands and we’re lucky So you need to keep things fresh, be it with the center of great experiences in the company of for that, so now it’s often about how to avoid cocktails in the bar, or new offerings that cater family and friends, and we can continue to pro- screwing it up. to this experimental consumer’s needs along with mote and grow that presence, then we will cre- With Jameson, for instance, we determined changing palates, and to changing demographics. ate a great company because there will be more that we had to draw a big protective fence around So at the end of the day, we think about of our products and loyal customers at future what makes this brand great and never lose sight how to keep our existing brands great and current; experiences. of that. how to enter new spaces with great brands; and It’s also an anglicized version of our global As a result, we’ve put more investment where we can look at innovation either through tagline, which is “Créateurs de Convivialité,” and into getting additional people on the street, our existing franchises or ones that are new to conviviality in France is about getting a group of and more people pressed against the bars and world, where we can really capture the hearts and people behind a common goal, a movement, and bartenders in each individual neighborhood. minds of consumers seeking something new.• 186 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2015 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 38, NUMBER 1